Following the Hong Kong conference yesterday, the number of Asgardian citizens has risen to more than 200,000 people globally. This elevates Asgardia to 184 ^th place by population among countries worldwide, getting ahead of Samoa, Guernsey and Jersey, and Guam.

As Asgardia enters its eighth month of existence, even more people are expected to join.

Cosas  nuevas me gustan

Media outlets from around the globe reported on Asgardia and its plans for the future that were revealed at the press conference in Hong Kong on 13 June 2017.

CNN writes that “(g)oing forward, the Asgardia team hopes to create habitable platforms in low-earth orbits -- the first 100 to 200 miles (161 to 321 kilometers) from space, which is also where the ISS is located. The first human flight to this location is projected to take place in eight years' time.”

Asgardia’s Head of Nation Igor Ashurbeyli told CNN: "I was interested in doing something unusual that nobody else was doing," Ashurbeyli told CNN. "It was my dream to create an independent country."
“We want to give equal opportunities to everyone who has a mind, who can do something, for their protection,” he said. “Our real home is not the house or the city where we were born. (Our) home is planet Earth, (and) we want to protect it.”

CNET called Asgardia “… a legal, technological and philosophical experiment that declares an orbiting server to be a sovereign country”. It reported that “Asgardia-1 brings the conceptual country one step closer to that goal…”

Space.com wrote that Ashurbeyli “…hopes to create a planetary-defense constellation that will help protect against asteroids, solar flares and human-made space debris; this satellite is just the first step.” The Space.com story was picked up by NBC News.

"Sixty years after the launch of the first-ever artificial satellite, Sputnik, our own space satellite, Asgardia-1, will mark the beginning of a new space era, taking our citizens into space in virtual form, at first," Ashurbeyli told Space.com.

South China Morning Post reported that “…although almost all Asgardia’s activities are conducted online, its leader insisted the country – with its own calendar system, public holidays, and soon, national flag and anthem – was more than a computer game.”

Ashurbeyli is quoted as saying “I’m an engineer, and I’m used to seeing the results of my work during my lifetime. I’m sure that anything coming from Asgardia that we’ll design will also come to life during our lifetime.”

Overall, almost 150 publications worldwide picked up the story.

Named after a Norse mythological city of the skies, Asgardia is open to all residents on planet earth and it doesn't cost anything to join. Russian scientist Dr Igor Ashurbeyli announced his plans to form the world's first independent nation that operates in outer space in October 2016. Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have signed up to be citizens. Ashurbeyli says the project's mission is to provide a "peaceful society", offer easier access to space technologies, and protect Earth from space threats, such as asteroids and man-made debris in space.

In the beginning , tons of people are gonna sign up for this supposed future country called  Asgardia, even less are gonna make any noise, after a while the smoke clears from the hype and the temporary interest, Once that hype becomes a fog, there are going to be a group dedicated individuals that make this work.  I have ideas that will blow your mind, I am sure you do to, everyone does, But you know what ? Ideas don't organize. They don't put in hours. They don't stay the course.

Only hard focused work does that, I would like those people in this facebook group who live here in the "The City"

In case anyone forgot : There is a reason why  The City is the greatest city on earth. Half the people that live here are not from here. In fact 25% of New Yonkers just moved here in 2001.

Like minds leave where they are from and move here for a reason, I don't need to  elaborate why.

Lets all chat about The City in this group and our ideas for Asgardia, maybe even put in a little work and see what happens ?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/225388287969394/

The concept of "Asgardia" is noble and inspiring, but this is a social experiment, and it might not succeed. That shouldn't stop us from trying to make it work.

I would like to help guide us toward the best decisions for the Asgardian community, especially as it relates to the rest of the Earth populace. Not all of the initial proposals make sense -- we don't need and would be harmed by having 13 months in a year when we are located on this planet, for example. A bit of forethought would go a long way toward making Asgardia a reality that works in the real world.

As an Asgardian citizen, you may think to yourself, "Who am I in the grand scheme of things?"

This is a very valid question. For millions of years, people have looked to the sky and questioned their place in the world. In Asgardia, we are who we plan to be. That means WE shape our nation. WE take the reigns and guide the horse.

Together, with input from many different citizens, I have created a revised constitution and petition for signatures. I invite everyone to look over the revised constitution which addresses any issues including a constitutional monarchy and age restrictions/limitations. Afterwards, please e-sign the petition. This is the first petition to address the constitution and I know it is not perfect. I fully expect there will be more. Thank you for your time. Let's work together towards a great nation!

Revised Constitution:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzoj5-ESf8gWcDFCTFlFcXl0TzQ/view

Petition:

https://asgardia.space/en/petitions/5955-petition-to-change-constitution-06172017/

At the founding of a new government, we have the opportunity to learn from the mistakes of our predecessors, and implement better systems. In that vein, I would like to propose that we implement Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) for all future referendums and elections. RCV systems provide results that are more representative of the community, without silencing minority voices. A good description of RCV can be found here: http://www.fairvote.org/rcv#rcvbenefits .

I've always found my self to be very intuitive. I noticed when I didn't listen to my gut... bad things would happen, but when I did anything became possible.

I love the show star trek and not just for the awesome story or the look of what space would be like, but because of the captains. All of them, great in their own way, became stuff of legend due to their sound mind and judgement when it came to making choices that would effect not just them, but everyone.

Together , we can construct a new history in the void of space. Since our earliest times, Earth has hosted humanity's bloodshed - space will be no different, unless we act now. Peace and prosperity can, and must, fundamentally exist in this next big step. Securing the future of all humanity is of the utmost importance. Strong leaders have come and gone, intelligent leaders are few and far between - look at what this has brought us. War. Hunger. Poverty. It all must end now. Elect me and together with you and the other leaders we will forge this nation into the pinnacle of humanity.

Hello Asgardians,

I hope you all have read the constitution and understand what we are working towards. Lately, there has been a huge hang-up on the term "Constitutional Monarchy." What does this mean? You are invited to do your own research but I will give you the basics. In a constitutional monarchy, the Head of State has power over the government no more than what is given to him by the Constitution, Amendments, and Referenda. In other words, his/her power is limited. The government is determined by the constitution and the powers are "spelled out" so that no one group has more power than another. The word Monarchy tends to scare people because it reminds them of a time in history where people were extorted for money and resources. Let's keep in mind, this is not a Monarchy. There is a Head of the Nation and his goal is to lead us towards a progressive future. The rest of the government will handle the every day management of the nation. Asgardia is in its infancy and still has a lot of room to grow. We, the people of Asgardia, are here to help this nation achieve its destiny... Unity and prosperity for all.

The eventual goal of Asgardia is for our citizens to live and work beyond Earth. However, each Asgardian remains a member of the global community here on our home world. As such, all Asgardians are impacted by manmade and natural events that may challenge our sense of shared community and pose risks to our fellow citizens. It is our responsibility to engage with other nations on Earth, ensuring the health and welfare of all Asgardians across the globe. Discussions involving social and financial policy, scientific collaboration, and security will all be necessary.

What is often overlooked is the importance of meeting the psychological needs of our community. It is within this critically important field that I intend to offer Asgardia my skills and knowledge as a practicing mental health clinician. In addition to my clinical work, I am a trained support responder (second responder) for disaster relief and humanitarian efforts. If we are to have a healthy society, it is extremely important that the psychological needs of our citizens are addressed, including the impact from manmade and natural events on the psychological wellbeing of Asgardians around the globe.

I challenge my fellow mental health therapists, counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists to make sure our input is counted and our voices are heard in every relevant council and committee. I intend to toss my hat into the ring, as it were, and run for one of the positions up for election. It is a long shot but it is worth a try.

Asgardia, a non-profit organization aiming to create the world's "first space nation" announced plans in Hong Kong yesterday to launch its first physical presence into space: a tiny satellite the size of a loaf of bread that can be used by "citizens" of the currently digital nation to store private data. Asgardia, named after a mythological Norse city in the sky, said it would launch the nano satellite (nanosat) as cargo aboard Orbital ATK's September 12 supply mission to the International Space Station (ISS), contracted by NASA. Once the spacecraft docks at the space station, the crew will pop the nanosat, named Asgardia-1, into a special nanosat dispenser and eject it into orbit. The launch cost of around US$700,000 is being largely funded by Asgardia's founder and "Head of Nation", Dr. Igor Ashurbeyli, a wealthy Azerbaijani-born Russian scientist and businessman.

It is understandable that many Asgardians are concerned with a government and their promise to stay transparent. This is my solemn vow. If elected into Parliament or any government position, I will be transparent about information pertaining to the Asgardian people and the acts of the government. At no point will I be threatened or bullied into an otherwise position. This is my commitment to you, all my fellow Asgardians.

Implementing leadership is one of the most crucial and important components of forming the new Asgardian government. Take the time to read through all candidates posts and truly understand their stance on key issues. Vote for someone whom will work towards the goals you share. My name is Chris and I am campaigning for a seat in Parliament. I would like to say "I will get things done" or "trust in me always" but the truth is, we barely know each other. Instead, I would like to extend my hand and ask for a chance to show you my leadership skills. My interests are in Citizenship and Justice. I will work towards finalizing an official citizenship process as well as coordinating Asgardian systems (I have an extensive background in I.T.) so all authentication and finance procedures occur through one area. In other words, our Asgardian ID cards will be used for everything from purchasing milk, to opening doors, to authorizing legal documents. Lastly, on my immediate agenda is getting physical official passports and documents out to all citizens. Asgardia has a huge legal hurdle with the United Nations but I have no doubts, this will have a very positive result. This will be a long process but I assure you, I am ready for the challenge and am in it for the long haul. Thank you for your time! Please feel free to ask me any questions.

Hello to all present (and future) Asgardians! I'd like to officially announce my candidacy for a leadership position in our beautiful Space Nation!

My entire life has been spent staring up at the vast night sky, wishing I could some day be part of it. I'll never forget my first trip to a planetarium as a child, learning about the planets and constellations (Orion is my favorite!), as it fully engrossed me into the want for exploration. I often find myself staring up, into space, envisioning myself out there.

I originally went to college for Aerospace Engineering; I was fully intent on doing everything in my power to become an astronaut. However, I felt a calling towards another career path; that of  an Attorney. I graduated law school in 2012, and have since spent my time developing and honing my management, speaking, and writing skills. I've spent the last few years trying to figure out how I could use my skill set to best represent the interests of everyone around me. I feel as though our government has not and is not representing the people. I've been looking for a chance to dedicate myself to the furthering of human achievement, social progress, and protection of basic interests.

THIS is the opportunity I have been waiting for. To combine my love and curiosity of space, with my skills and knowledge of law, would be a dream come true. This is the opportunity to finally cause change; to help citizens, to write law, to impact future society.

I humbly come to ask for your vote. I want to represent YOU! I want to further human achievement within our Space Nation, while also protecting the interests of all Asgardians! This could turn into the greatest achievement of humankind, and we are the tip of the spear. We are all pioneers, and we will all need protections, laws, and someone to look out for our best interests.

I am that person. I hereby make the promise to always listen to all opinions and wants, to make decisions that benefit all and further our adventurous progress, and of course, protect all Asgardians as we create and begin a legacy that will live on for centuries to come.

My name is Matthew Jones, and I thank you for your consideration.

To the future of Asgardia!

I think it would be extremely beneficial for us to organize a local group to ensure that our ideas and demographics are properly represented within the greater Asgardian nation.

I would also like to run for a local or potentially higher tier leadership position later on as I have a good grasp on economics and politics.