Tomorrow marks three years and eight months since the so-called "Chelyabinsk Meteor" paid a visit to our planet. Faced with that fact, a logical question would be, "and how is that space program going?" But it's clear that the solution won't come from politicians, so the most interesting proposals come from scientists. The latest is Asgardia, a "space nation" that, besides functioning as an independent state, will also assume the role of a shield against asteroids and space debris.
Science fiction tells us that in most cases, all space colonies eventually (sooner or later) declare their independence from Earth, which later serves as "fertile ground" for developing various conflicts in paper, screen, and video games. But talking about independence is natural. Even today it's discussed, and it's not limited to the scale of countries; cities and municipalities around the globe explore the possibility of separating or dividing.
The Space Nation
However, "becoming independent from Earth" today might sound a bit strange, unless the proposal comes from scientists deeply interested in preserving the future of the human species. That said, let's make room for Asgardia, a project presented by Dr. Igor Ashurbeyli, president of the UNESCO Committee on Space Science. Current space law establishes that governments must authorize and supervise all their programs, even if the objective is commercial, but one of the keys to "cut" that chain is to declare Asgardia a nation in orbit. Asgardia has already been presented as a "future member of the United Nations", and last Wednesday the first 100,000 citizenships were announced, in addition to starting a collaborative effort to develop its flag.
A Cosmic Shield
If we set aside the detail that Asgardia will be the most advanced and complex political experiment in history, the space nation will also assume another role: that of a cosmic shield against asteroids and other blunt objects that could cause great damage on Earth's surface. I haven't been able to find precise technical details about this "shield", although I imagine it will start as a broad tracking system. The first satellite of the Asgardia initiative will debut next year. A nation in space. Would you move?
