Dubai’s first Martian Colony will be on Earth, in Dubai
Dubai wants to operate a Martian colony on Mars before 2117, and now they're planning a dress rehearsal on Earth
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2017) 'Dubai’s first Martian Colony will be on Earth, in Dubai', 311 Institute, 19 October. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/dubais-first-martian-colony-will-be-on-earth-in-dubai/ (Accessed: 8 October 2026).
Just a few months on from announcing they were going to, one day, build their own colony on Mars by 2117, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced plans to build a model of their proposed hypothetical city here on Earth and they’ve dubbed it, naturally, Mars Space City (MSC).
The MSC project, designed by architect Bjarke Ingels, will cost $140 million and become a "viable and realistic model," according to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and it will cover 1.9 million square feet, which will make it the largest Mars simulation in existence when it’s complete.
According to a government press release there will be a whole host of scientific operations taking place inside the MSC that will range from labs researching food, energy and water, to agricultural testing and studies about food security. Parts of the MSC will also be open to the public, including a space museum, and the walls of this museum, according to the press release, will feature 3D Printed designs using sand from the Emirati desert.
"The UAE seeks to establish international efforts to develop technologies that benefit humankind," Sheikh Mohammed said, "and establish the foundation of a better future for more generations to come. We also want to consolidate the passion for leadership in science in the UAE, contributing to improving life on earth and to developing innovative solutions to many of our global challenges."
No timetable was set for the MSC but, knowing Dubai it probably won’t be too long before we see glittering glass domes emerging from the desert sands, and who knows, unlike any other museum of its kind, you might even be able to take one of Dubai’s Sky Taxi’s to visit it.
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Dubai wants to operate a Martian colony on Mars before 2117, and now they're planning a dress rehearsal on Earth
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Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
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Sources and further reading
- government press release mediaoffice.ae
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 19 October 2017. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2017). Dubai’s first Martian Colony will be on Earth, in Dubai. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/dubais-first-martian-colony-will-be-on-earth-in-dubai/
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