In October 2016 Russian billionaire Dr Igor Ashurbeyli announced the creation of Asgardia, and in June 2018 he was inaugurated as the head of the space nation.

There are currently 20,000 verified citizens from around 200 countries, who have each received a Certificate of Asgardia.

Opening Asgardia’s first Space Science and Investment Congress in Darmstadt, Germany, Dr ​Ashurbeyli set out the priorities as long-term space exploration and settlement in space.

He said: “It would be dangerous to take on this long space journey the huge baggage of earthly problems accumulated over millennia.

“We simply cannot afford militarisation of space by projecting earthly borders onto it.

“One should realise that only about 20 countries out of 229 have access to space.

“This is discrimination of space calibre against the countries which are unjustly called ‘the third world countries’ and against their citizens.

“And even simpler – against earthlings and Asgardians.”

He added that the nation is capable of bringing global democracy to space science, saying scientists are constricted by national legislation.

Dr ​Ashurbeyli told the congress the main “visionary and scientific mission” of Asgardia is the birth of the first human child in space.

He continued: “I will start by brushing aside hypocritical speculations about risks of childbirth for both mother and child.

“We simply owe this chance to ourselves now, when planet earth is pretty much explored, and how finite human existence is on earth is already recognised.

“All the magnificent projects for settlement of Mars and similar extravaganza are a one-way ticket in the absence of the first human child.”

Asgardia is named after the City of the Gods in Norse mythology.

Its main aim is to develop space technology unfettered by earthly politics and laws, leading ultimately to a permanent orbiting home where its citizens can live and work.