Beyond the Burj Khalifa and gorgeous scenery, Dubai will soon be home to something many might not have ever dreamed of – a Martian city.
Back in 2017, the United Arab Emirates announced its plans to build the first city on Mars within the next 100 years. However, prior to actually setting off to Mars, architects are creating an out-of-this-world project. A Martian city in the desert outside Dubai.
Named Mars Science City, it will be the largest replication of an extra-terrestrial city. It’ll cover over 176,000 square metres of desert and accumulating costs of approximately $140 million. It will act as an experimental space for Dubai’s Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC). The Bjarke Ingels Group are the architects behind this project. They are responsible for designing the prototype of a city suitable for life on Mars. Furthermore, the group are in charge of adapting it for use in the Dubai desert.
Adnan AIRais, Mars 2117 Program Manager at MBRSC said:
“This is going to be our platform where we can develop the science and the technology that will help us with our future missions to Mars. We want to come up with a totally new facility that will help the international community.”
Building Earth’s Martian City
As you may have guessed, this project poses many obstacles. Due to Mars’ thin atmosphere and lack of global magnetic field, there is little protection from harmful radiation. As well as its low temperature, and little air pressure, all the conditions of Mars had to be considered in making this as realistic as possible.
The Mars Science City will make use of 3D construction techniques to create biodomes. Each will be covered with transparent polyethylene membrane. Buildings will be 3D printed from desert sand, rather than Martian soil. Oxygen would not need to be filled in domes on Earth. However, oxygen on Mars would be made by supplying electricity to underground ice. Similar to if it were on Mars, the city will be powered and heated using solar energy. There will also be an educational facility, museum, an amphitheatre and co-working office space.
The MBRSC sent its first astronaut into space last year, launched a probe to Mars in July and will undertake its first analog mission in November.
There is currently no set date for when construction will begin. For now, we can only dream about living on Mars.
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