Asgardia, The First ‘Space Nation,’ Plans To Colonize Space
Twenty months ago, Igor Ashurbeyli set off to start an ambitious project: establish the world’s first “space nation” and colonize space. Ashurbeyli called the nation “Asgardia,” and so far he has been successful in getting people to sign up to become a citizen. Around 200,000 people from around the world have joined. In addition to its own government with a constitution and elected parliament, its goal is to create a population of people who are the “most creative,” according to Yahoo News.
It doesn’t cost anything to become a citizen, and one can join the nation online. However, the annual membership fee is 100 euros, and there are plans to collect on citizens’ business and private income. And although it’s easy to become a citizen now, it’s possible that future citizens could be subject to an IQ test.
The leader is none other than Ashurbeyli, who was recently inaugurated at Hofburg and declared the moment one for the history books.
“This day will certainly be recorded in the annals of the greatest events in the history of humankind … We have thus established all branches of government. I can therefore declare with confidence that Asgardia – the first space nation of the united humankind – has been born.”
Ashurbeyli has many ambitions. First, the plan is to place satellites around the Earth to provide internet access globally. He also wants to create “space arks” with artificial gravity in space where people could live in 10 to 15 years. Finally, the goal is to colonize the moon in 25 years.
So far, one satellite has been sent into space, called the Asgardia-1.
'Space kingdom' Asgardia wants IQ tests for wannabe citizens https://t.co/CcPGoC9BTG
— The Independent (@Independent) June 26, 2018
Some may wonder how such grandiose ambitions could be funded properly, but the leader is a known Russian billionaire. On the Asgardia website, it states that “Let’s be very clear: every penny, every cent spent on Asgardia up to date and still for quite some months to come is the investment by Dr Ashurbeyli,” reported ABC News.
The inauguration of Ashurbeyli was the first step towards what the leader hopes will be a series of events leading up to Asgardia becoming recognized by the United Nations. The nation is planning to set up its own national bank and a ministry of foreign affairs. Ashurbeyli elaborated.
“Once we have a certain number of bilateral agreements, following UN rules we will apply to become a member of the United Nations … Other important milestones will be the establishment of the nation’s bank and production of the nation’s currency. All of this needs to be completed by the end of the year.”
Hello from the first parliamentary meeting! #asgardiaspacenation pic.twitter.com/aYDMZyRgy3
— Asgardia (@AsgardiaSpace) June 24, 2018
It’s difficult to know what the future holds for Asgardia. But for now, people who are tired of Earth and Earthly politics have a chance to join a rather bold quest to colonize space.