The government of Dubai has announced plans for the development of a vast 'space simulation development' in Dubai called Mars Science City, as part of Dubai's Mars 2117 Strategy, which seeks to build the first settlement on Mars in the next 100 years.

The AED 500 million-scheme, extending over 1.9m sq ft, will simulate conditions on the surface of the red planet, with heat and radiation insulation and walls which are 3D printed from desert sand.

The developers say the structure – consisting of a series of domes – will be one of the most sophisticated the world.

Mars Science City will have a museum displaying "humanity’s greatest space achievements", with educational areas to engage young people and inspire in them a passion for space, exploration and discovery.

It will also include food, energy and water labs, as well as agricultural testing and research into food security.

The project will seek to attract the "best scientific minds from around the world" to support the UAE's contribution to human development and the improvement of life.

Plans for Mars Science City includes an experiential element which will involve a team living in the stimulated red planet city for a year. The experience will enable the development of a model for sustaining life in hostile planetary environments.

A range of experiments will lead to innovation around self-sufficiency in energy, water and food.

The project was unveiled on Tuesday by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

A team of Emirati scientists, engineers and designers, led by a team from the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre and Dubai Municipality, will carry out the project, in cooperation with architects BIG.