Emiratis want their grandchildren to live on Mars

And they hope humans won't slowly decay the planet, like they did on Earth.

If Earth has become too overpopulated and polluted for you, then how about a residency on Mars? Some Emiratis are actually entertaining the idea for their future generations to come.

Khaleej Times spoke to a few Emiratis who would like to send their future children or grandchildren to live in the mini-city that the UAE plans on building on the Red Planet by 2117.
UAE plans to send humans to Mars, set up city

The announcement for the 2117 Mars mission was made on Tuesday and aims to help explore life on the planet, as well as discover ways to supply a small city on Mars with life, energy and food during its final phase. The entire project will be led by UAE nationals.

Hamad Rahma (24), an Emirati student in Dubai, believes that the next generations should start colonising the Red Planet for the "sake of science".
Pictures of UAE's plan for the Red Planet

He said: "If I'm still alive when my grandkids are born, I would ship them off to Mars. We have made great discoveries on this planet, but now it's time to explore beyond what is in front of us. Christopher Columbus and other explorers sailed through oceans hundreds of years ago, now it's our turn to reach other planets with our advanced technology."

A psychology student in Dubai, Khawla Sabil (23), is also hoping her grandchildren will become Martians one day and might study about their "ancestors who lived on a planet called Earth."

However, she wants to make sure the mini-city would be able to provide basic human necessities for her future family.

Sabil said: "It will be great if my grandchildren can live there but only if they can provide everything for what a human needs. I will absolutely send them there, but I just want to make sure my grandchildren can live there peacefully."

A trainee aircraft engineer in Dubai, Hamad Ismail, thinks his grandkids will find a better and easier life on the Red Planet.

The 23-year-old said: "They say adventure lies in every corner on earth, but what about space? We lived a good life on Earth, humans are pioneers, but it's time for the next generation to explore the endless possibilities that is space. It would be an opportunity to start fresh, no corruption, no war and no pollution. And maybe this time, they won't slowly decay the planet."

The UAE isn't the first to plan a colonisation scheme on the Red Planet. The Mars One programme was launched in 2011 and aims to send four people to build a colony in the future.

Bas Lansdorp, the CEO of Mars One, welcomed UAE's efforts in this field. He told Khaleej Times: "The UAE is known for dreaming big and implementing those dreams successfully. It's only just over 100 years ago that the first air plane flew - is it really unimaginable that there is a city on Mars in 2117? Mars One is really happy that new players like the UAE and India put Mars exploration higher on the international space agenda."

sarwat@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai