With all the political strife in the world today, it’s about time that we look toward the future with peace in mind, instead of a potential third world war. That’s why men like Doctor Igor Ashurbeyli, Russian scientist and businessman, are paving the way for a more peaceful future. Dr. Ashurbeyli has begun the process of founding an entirely new nation-state; a haven for scientists and intellectuals, where ideas flow freely and knowledge and science are paramount. Oh, where is this wonderful new country, you ask?
It’s in space. Sort of.
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Named “Asgardia,” after the floating city of the gods from Norse mythology, the nation-state is currently still in the developmental stages, although on its website it claims that it is, “…a fully fledged and independent nation, and a future member of the United Nations - with all the attributes this status entails: a government and embassies, a flag, a national anthem and insignia, and so on.” The concept for the project, which has been laid out in full on the official website for Asgardia, is separated into three parts: philosophical, legal and scientific or technological. From a philosophical standpoint, Asgardia aims to, “…serve entire humanity and each and everyone, regardless of his or her personal welfare and the prosperity of the country where they happened to be born.” While the “legal” portion of the concept does not specify whether or not the placement of an entirely new nation-state in space is actually legal, it does state that, “Asgardia's legal envelope includes the creation of a new legal platform for the exploration of near-Earth and deep space. ‘Universal space law’ and ‘astropolitics’ have to replace international space law and geopolitics.” So, it would seem that the founders of Asgardia want to move away from the cumbersome and corrupt nature of earthly politics. However, the legality of the project has been subject to much debate throughout the rest of the political and scientific community. According to an article on the subject from BBC, “Professor Sa'id Mosteshar, director of the London Institute of Space Policy and Law, cast doubt on the idea that Asgardia would be recognized under international law. ‘The Outer Space Treaty… accepted by everybody says very clearly that no part of outer space can be appropriated by any state,’ he said. Given Asgardia will not be associated with a self-governing territory, with its 'citizens' remaining on earth, its prospects for recognition are slim, he added.”
Regarding the technological aspects of Asgardia, the space station that will become the housing for the new nation-state will be comprised of one or more core satellites, clusters of several other smaller satellites, and a “protective space platform.” The project aims to launch its first satellite at some point during the end of 2017. Funding for “Asgardia” is currently coming solely from Doctor Ashurbeyli, but the project has announced that it will look into crowd funding to achieve its financial goals. According to BBC, however, “This crowd funding aspect suggests the group's founders ‘don't have any real credible business plan’, Professor Mosteshar said.”
So, maybe the idea is a little bit outlandish. I’ll agree with that. Maybe there are multiple holes in the project’s concept and master plan. I’ll also agree with that. But, nothing truly innovative has ever been accomplished without pushing the boundaries of what is considered the norm. To put things into perspective, at one point in our history, humans believed that the ability to fly was reserved only for birds and creatures of legend. Now, thanks to people who decided to push the envelope throughout history, we have jets, planes, helicopters, Ospreys, and actual jetpacks. By that logic, why can’t we live in a new country in space too? Is it really that crazy?
