The UAE gazed directly into the face of Mars this year, and now all us non-astronauts can do the same at Expo 2020 Dubai.
UAE became the first Arab country, and fifth country globally, to reach the Red Planet when its Hope Probe entered orbit around Mars in February.
And thanks to a collaboration with fellow deep space explorers from France, the US and Russia, a huge collection or rock samples – including stones lifted from the surface of the Moon and Martian meteorites – are coming to Expo 2020 Dubai.
Expo 2020 Dubai opens to the public on Friday October 1, 2021, with the show running through to March 31 2022.
And from Friday October 17 to Thursday October 23 Space Week will take over the world’s greatest show.
Expect real-life astronauts, renowned scientists and engineers to divulge all the mysteries and mind-blowing facts about space travel.
A star-studded opening ceremony will see the likes of world-famous tenor Andrea Bocelli Grammy nominated, Golden Globe-winning actress, singer and songwriter Andra Day; Platinum selling British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding; international mega-star pianist Lang Lang; and four-time Grammy-winner Angelique Kidjo kick off the world’s greatest show in spectacular style during the opening ceremony on Thursday September 30.
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And this galaxy of stars won’t be the only out-of-this-world headlines.
Head over to the US Pavilion during the show’s six-month run and you’ll be able to see Moon rock samples collected during the States’ famed Apollo missions (propelled into the stratosphere by Tom Hanks).
Other exhibits that will have guests star-struck are a model of NASA’s Mars Opportunity Rover which first left tyre tracks on the Red Planet way back in 2004, a live feed of the current Mars Perseverance Rover, and fragments of a comet that crashed down in Antarctica almost a decade again.
Things are also blasting off at the France Pavilion where astronaut Thomas Pesquet, currently more than 400km above earth on the International Space Station, live from the Al Awsl Plaza.
Between Wednesday October 20 and Saturday October 23 Expo 2020 Dubai guests will be able to spy ‘nearby’ galaxies and nebulae with the help of a super high-tech telescope, while a dedicated display on Mars will soon have visitors flying through the cosmos.
Meanwhile, Russia is in the process of filming a commercial flick aboard the International Space Station, and Expo 2020 Dubai visitors will be the first to view the trailer.
The Challenger will trail the tale of a doctor shot into space to save a dying cosmonaut.
And, of course, the UAE’s own space exploits will be celebrated at the UAE pavilion. Expect to learn all about the first Emirati to reach the star – Hazza Al Mansouri – as well as the pioneering mission to Mars and thrilling plans for the future.
Al Wasl Dome will also be illuminated with projections telling the story of the UAE’s journey to another planet.
T-minus 10, 9, 8…
Dhs95 (one day), Dhs195 (30 days), Dhs495 (six months). Oct 1 2021- Mar 31 2022. Dubai Exhibition Centre, expo2020dubai.com.
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