Asgardia the Space Nation has issued its own Declaration of Independence following the 12th meeting of its Supreme Space Council on the Greek island of Corfu this week (13 August 2024). The meeting of the heads of all branches of power in the world's first Space Nation became a historic event - by the Council’s decision, the enactment of the Declaration of Independence of Asgardia occurred.
The Supreme Space Council (SSC) of Asgardia comprises Dr Igor Ashurbeyli, Head of Nation of Asgardia, Lembit Öpik, Chair of Parliament of Asgardia, Lena De Winne, Prime Minister of Asgardia, Yun Zhao, Supreme Justice of Asgardia, and Dumitru-Dorin Prunariu, Head of Administration to the Head of Nation of Asgardia.
The draft Declaration of Independence, presented to the meeting by Dr Ashurbeyli, proclaims the Space Nation’s full state sovereignty and encourages the planet Earth states to conclude bilateral agreements on mutual recognition and further cooperation.
In doing so it corroborates of the principles laid down in the Declaration of Unity and the Constitution of Asgardia, each of which was adopted by universal vote of Asgardians in June 2017.
Asgardia was founded by Dr Ashurbeyli on 12 October 2016 and, structurally, is an independent state with effective organs of power, a national digital currency (the Solar) and an expanding population. The territory of Asgardia is considered to be a satellite launched on board the Antares launch vehicle from the Wallops Flight Facility (USA) on 12 November 2017 and placed in orbit 7 December 2017.
Currently, the population of the Space Nation amounts to more than 1.17 million people, drawn from almost every country on Earth. Among them are also celebrities, including scientists, astronauts, engineers, politicians, public and cultural figures, students and representatives of all professions all sharing a common vision for the future of humanity in space.
The size of the population is already indicative of relevance for the Asgardia’s principles and mission among Earth’s inhabitants, without regard to their specific place of residence, nationality or profession.
The Declaration of Independence encompasses many of the principles common to people who see the future of humanity in space and at the same time share the ideas of humanism and equality.
Among them are abiding by the solely peaceful path of human evolution, including space exploration for peaceful purposes; and being convinced that every inhabitant of planet Earth has the right to engage in space exploration and to make use of its outcomes.
Asgardia’s core mission is humanity’s continued existence as a biological species and to this end the Space Nation follows the path of scientific research in the field of creating artificial gravity technologies, cosmic radiation protection and space embryology development.
It sees the birth of the first human child in space, an ultimate objective of the Asgardia’s scientific programme which is now underway, as a key milestone in helping to guarantee the human species live on in the universe.
Asgardia anticipates bringing into the fold about 150 million people as citizens, equivalent to about two percent of the world's population.
“I believe that Asgardia should become one of the top 12 states on planet Earth based on demographics,” said Dr Ashurbeyli. “With such a large population and without the need to spend resources on ‘specifically earthly’ areas of burning money - such as border protection, maintaining armies and other costly mechanisms that prevent healthy growth - Asgardia should definitely be among the 12 largest economies of our common planet.”
After receiving recognition of sovereignty from several planet Earth states, the Space Nation says it will be able to establish a fully-fledged citizenship institution to support its further growth and development.
At a press conference during the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Baku, Azerbaijan, last October (2023), Dr Ashurbeyli announced that Asgardia was actively working towards recognition as an independent state.
He also told journalists: “Or ancestors had no time for doubts and fears - they had to discover new countries and develop. The same is required for humankind today, the only difference being that the territory of new discoveries is now in space.”
“Asgardia’s priority first and foremost is to promote scientific, philosophical and ethical values, rather than political ones. Our ancestors had no time for doubts and fears - they had to discover new countries and develop. The same is required for humankind today, the only difference being that the territory of new discoveries is now in space.”