By: D.K Choudhary
UAE Unveils Plan to Build First City on Mars by 2117
i. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has unveiled plans to build the first city on Mars by 2117.
ii. The announcement was made by Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces on the sidelines of the World Government Summit in Dubai on February 14, 2017.
iii. As a part of the long term Mars Plan, the UAE engineers presented a virtual presentation depicting a preliminary concept for the city on Mars for guests to explore which is expected to be about the size of Chicago.
iv. For the 100-year national project, the UAE government would collaborate with specialised international organisations and scientific institutes.
v .The Mars 2117 Project is a long-term project and the first step towards it would be to make appeal to young Emiratis to make space travels and set up special programs in space sciences at universities in the UAE.
vi .Under the project, an Emirati scientific team would be set up to implement the plan and later the team would also include international scientists and researchers.
vii. The team would work to develop action plan to facilitate the transport of people to-and-from the planet over the next decades.
viii .They would also research as to what the settlement would look like and how it will be sustainable in terms of food, energy and transportation
ix. Besides, under the Mars Probe Mission announced by UAE in 2015, the Arab world’s first spacecraft would be send to the Red Planet in a scientific exploration mission that will land on planet in 2021
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
♦ Capital: Abu Dhabi
♦ Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham
♦ President: Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
