A new National Geographic documentary will follow the UAE's space mission

The UAE plans to establish a city on Mars by 2117

Scientist working to realise UAE's dreams of going to Mars. Courtesy National Geographic

National Geographic is to document the UAE’s journey into space in a four-part documentary series.

The National Geographic series will cover the development and launch of KhalifaSat, the first Emirati-developed satellite, travelling to Mars, and the country building the first city on Mars.

It will also look into the ways in which space travel can assist with challenges facing the Earth today, from climate change to declining natural resources and food security. At the same time, the series will examine the feasibility of life beyond our planet.

“We are so proud of this groundbreaking partnership, which celebrates the UAE leadership’s bold vision to inspire generations of Emiratis to reach for the stars,” said Sanjay Raina, senior vice president of Fox Networks Group and general manager for Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan.

“What is equally important in this massive undertaking by MBRSC [Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre] is its goal: to create sustainable solutions to our global resource and environmental challenges and provide an international platform for knowledge sharing and development,” he added.

KhalifaSat, which was built in the Space Technology Laboratories at the MBRSC, was successfully launched into orbit on 29 October 2018 from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center aboard the H-HA rocket.

National Geographic’s lens will also focus on the Emirates Mars Mission, the first Arab mission to Mars, set to launch in 2020 and arrive on the Red Planet by 2021, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the UAE. It will also hone in on the country's creation of a 100-year plan to establish a livable city on Mars by 2117 through the Mars 2117 Strategy. The development of future astronauts by the UAE Astronaut Programme will also feature in the documentary, as it follows the journey of the first Emirati Astronaut Corps, focusing on their selection process, training and the mission of the first Emirati Arab astronaut to the International Space Station.