Scientists in partnership with engineers, entrepreneurs and legal experts are working towards launching the first ever nation in space in 2017.
Asgardia, will be launched in autumn this year. It will have its own laws, flag and sovereignty.
“Asgardia is a fully-fledged and independent nation, and a future member of the United Nations – with all the attributes this status entails,” said Dr Igor Ashurbeyli, chairman of UNESCO’s Science of Space Committee and founder of the Aerospace International Research Centre in Vienna, who is leading the project.
According to the founders it is an ecape from earth’s conflict. Asgardia will be contrary to current international space law which calls for states to authorise and supervise national space activities. Objects launched into the space are subjected to the nation of origin supervision, however Asgardia will have its indepence.
“Asgardia team plans to do is create a state-of-the-art protective shield, designed to protect humankind from cosmic, manmade and natural threats to life on Earth – such as space debris, coronal mass ejections and asteroid collisions.” Says a report by the Mirror
A website has been launched with further details about the project and public involvement. The site will allow the first 100,000 people to register to become citizens of Asgardia alongside their nationality on earth. Once the number of applications exceeds 100,000, the organisation can officially apply to the UN for the status of state.
