Exclusive articles: “Smoothing the journey to space”, “Revealing the magnetic universe”, several renowned astrophysicists, including NASA Chief Scientist Jim Green Lead article “Earth - no longer humanity’s only home” by William Gerstenmaier, former NASA Associate Administrator, Human Exploration & Operations. Read more about the anniversary issue https://bit.ly/3G8kLSn

80% of the Asgardians are Male. 20% female. We will have a problem finding a sweetheart. We need more females. Lets get recruiting.

I really like the entire concept behind Asgardia, I believe we as a species are headed towards failure and need to do better. Asgardia is the answer. One Humanity — One Unity.

The magnetic field guarantees life on our planet: what made it work for billions of years? Perhaps a feature of the Earth's core that was not thought of. Illustration: plumes of the Earth's magnetic field | Jurik Peter / Shutterstock One of the characteristics of our Planet is its magnetic field, neither too weak nor too intense: just what is needed to protect the surface of the Earth from charged particles of the solar wind and cosmic radiation. If the magnetic field were not there, life, as it appeared, would disappear in a short time. Today we know that this shield is produced by the motions of liquid iron, the most abundant element in the outer core of the Earth, which gives life to a geodynamo: a planetary dynamo which, originating an electric current, causes the appearance of a magnetic field as a consequence ... This description is a simplification, however, and hides questions for which geologists still have no answers. However, an international study (published in Nature Communications) could make us take a step forward in understanding the mechanism of the geodynamo: for the team, it would be the presence of elements lighter than iron in the Earth's core to allow the geodynamo, in the present as in the past. . The structure of the Earth and the motions of the mantle The structure of the Earth and the motions of the mantle, highlighted by the arrows. The arrows indicate the direction of motion of the mantle, which cools near the crust and partly exits the oceanic ridges and partly returns to the depths. The movement raises and lowers the oceanic crust by up to 2 kilometers. For further information: The paradox of the Earth's core. | Our Planet was formed from the accumulation of dust and gases that surrounded the protostar that would give rise to the Sun: in those early stages the heavier elements - such as iron - aggregated towards the center of what would become a planet, while the lighter ones were distributed and differentiated towards the outside, towards what would become the surface. This is why the Earth today has a chemical diversification passing from the crust to the mantle and up to the core, but there are no homogeneous zones: while the iron sank to form the core, it also dragged with it a part of light elements - such as oxygen, sulfur, carbon, hydrogen ... - whose presence is confirmed by seismographs that measure the way in which the seismic waves of mega earthquakes cross the planet. Little importance has been given to these elements in relation to the functioning of the geodynamo, powered, as has always been thought, exclusively by the heat of the inner core. According to this hypothesis, the energy emitted by the inner core is sufficient to keep the liquid iron of the outer core in motion, which thus generates the magnetic field. The new study wants to add a piece to this scenario: it hypothesizes that the lighter elements present in the outer core lower the threshold of the temperature necessary to keep liquid iron in motion, and that, without these elements, perhaps it would never have triggered the geodynamic effect, even with the same heat. The models used for the study have highlighted a scenario in which 8% of silica in the outer core would be sufficient to have the geodynamo in operation from the beginning of the planet's history to today. There are still no projections or models on the role of the other light elements, and this is what the next studies will focus on.

If the increase in space debris in Earth orbit remains uncontrolled and unregulated, it will eventually render outer space useless for the whole of humanity - a sober warning from Prof Ram Jakhu in the Winter 2019/20 issue of ‘ROOM Space Journal of Asgardia’. In ‘Rule of law vital for humanity’s sustainability and survival’, Prof Jakhu examines the necessary legal frameworks needed to avoid potential doomsday scenarios and proposes that a new international legal order for outer space should also recognise that reckless and intentional creation of space debris is “a crime against humanity”. Prof Jakhu’s article is one of six published in this issue based on presentations at the first Asgardia Space Science & Investment Congress (ASIC) held in Darmstadt, Germany, in October. As its theme ‘Paving the Road to Living in Space’ suggests, ASIC’s goal was to offer a strategic pathway to the future, homing in on the interconnected themes of the extraordinary science and technology required to support permanent space habitats and the first humans born in space. With around 150 specialist attendees from around the globe it was something of a niche congress headed up by Asgardia Science Minister Prof Floris Wuyts, a world-leading human physiology specialist from the University of Antwerp in Belgium. ROOM’s cross-section of Special Reports from ASIC are selected from more than 50 presentations, each of which provided an insight into one of the challenging themes discussed in talks, panel sessions and posters. A core vision of Asgardia the Space Nation is to achieve the first birth of a child in space and, in doing so, progress towards its long term strategy of creating off-world human settlements. To further this goal, challenging issues relating to radiation and artificial gravity need to be addressed and ASIC was the first such event created specifically to allow world-leading scientists already working in these areas to come together to present and discuss their research. Whilst space is both inspirational and motivational, offering immense possibilities for the future, success will depend on the vision and success of entrepreneurs such as Jeff Manber of Nanoracks (‘Commercialising space exploration and development’) and financial experts such as Seraphim Capital’s Mark Boggett, who provides valuable insights into the space funding landscape in ‘Venture capital investment in space’. Advanced technology is another vital part of the mix; Tigran Mkhoyan focuses on the ‘Coriolis effect in rotating space platforms’ whilst Nissem Abdeljelil, of the National Center for Nuclear Science & Technologies in Tunisia, addresses the potential of using ionising radiation to manage biofilm contamination in ‘Surviving bacteria in space’. ASIC discussed everything from creating artificial gravity and combating radiation to a birth in space, as well as considering how to secure the investment and develop the technologies to achieve it all. This issue of ‘ROOM Space Journal of Asgardia’ is available in print delivered direct to your home or in digital format from next week (16 December). To buy this issue or start a great value annual subscription for the world’s leading space magazine, please visit: https://room.eu.com/subscribe

The IX sitting of the Parliament of Asgardia will be held digitally next week on 10 Libra - 12 Libra 0004 (21 August – 23 August 2020) Stay tuned to the Asgardia Parliament blog for updates of the proceedings. https://asgardia.space/en/social/users/1174761