Science

Judi Lynn

(160,682 posts) Tue Nov 14, 2017, 09:03 AM Nov 2017

The space nation Asgardia just launched its first satellite

13 November 2017

By Leah Crane

The Space Kingdom of Asgardia has launched its first satellite. This so-called ‘virtual nation’ is the pet project of Russian scientist and billionaire Igor Ashurbeyli. Last year, he proposed a new nation which would be based in space in order to be outside of the control of nations on Earth.

The Asgardia-1 satellite, which is about the size of a loaf of bread, launched on 12 November and contains half a terabyte of data. It holds the foundations of the project – the nation’s constitution, its national symbols, and data from its 115,000 citizens. It was launched from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia aboard a Cygnus spacecraft on an Orbital ATK Antares rocket.

The Cygnus craft will dock with the International Space Station on 14 November to perform its primary mission of delivering supplies to the astronauts there. After about a month, it will undock and fly higher above Earth, where it will release Asgardia’s satellite into orbit.

While Ashurbeyli has plans to convince the UN to recognise Asgardia as a sovereign nation and someday build Asgardian colonies in space, it is not currently recognised as a nation by any country on Earth. For now, the only benefit offered to citizens of the space nation is the ability to upload data to Asgardia-1 in orbit.

More:
https://www.newscientist.com/article/the-space-nation-asgardia-just-launched-its-first-satellite/?cmpid=ILC|NSNS|2017_webpush&utm_medium=ILC&utm_source=NSNS&utm_campaign=webpush-Asgardia

6 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

The space nation Asgardia just launched its first satellite (Original Post) Judi Lynn Nov 2017 OP

So romana Nov 2017 #1

That's exactly what it is. All it takes is data transmission defacto7 Nov 2017 #2

Untouchable outpost? Every major military has the ability to shoot down a satellite. DetlefK Nov 2017 #3

Without diplomatic complications? defacto7 Nov 2017 #4

You are mixing diplomatic and technological issues. DetlefK Nov 2017 #5

Ha.. pixel buds in space. That is funny. defacto7 Nov 2017 #6

romana

(765 posts)

1. So

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Nov 14, 2017, 10:09 AM

Nov 2017

Is this the ultimate in off-shore money laundering schemes?

Kind of a cool idea, but I've gotten so cynical about anything attached to Russian billionaires these days.

defacto7

(13,485 posts)

2. That's exactly what it is. All it takes is data transmission

Reply to romana (Reply #1)

Tue Nov 14, 2017, 12:33 PM

Nov 2017

and an untouchable outpost. Off earth money laundering.

The weirdest thing to me is the nationalism connected to it. Some of us want humanity to work together for a common good. Others want to separate as far as possible from humanity. It's the ultimate way to steal and hoard; you don't have to look into the eyes of your fellow human.

DetlefK

(16,423 posts)

3. Untouchable outpost? Every major military has the ability to shoot down a satellite.

Reply to defacto7 (Reply #2)

Wed Nov 15, 2017, 06:02 AM

Nov 2017

Plus, they could do so without fear of diplomatic complications.

defacto7

(13,485 posts)

4. Without diplomatic complications?

Reply to DetlefK (Reply #3)

Wed Nov 15, 2017, 11:37 AM

Nov 2017

What nation could be protecting this "satellite" country? A sovereign nation? What would be powering it, AAA batteries? Who and how would it be monitored in this political climate? How about micro satelite transponders and data backup? Ever heard of darksats? How about a big bad military shooting down satelites the size of a peanut? by the thousands?

It's a little more complicated than the '60s.

DetlefK

(16,423 posts)

5. You are mixing diplomatic and technological issues.

Reply to defacto7 (Reply #4)

Wed Nov 15, 2017, 11:54 AM

Nov 2017

Let's say, Asgardia uses their satellites for money-laundering. Asgardia is politically not recognized as a country. Shooting down an asgardian satellite would be the same as shooting down the satellite of a money-laundering corporation or person.

Shooting a computer into space is no big deal. Shooting a computer into space that has the power-supply, an antenna for directed radio-transmission and a navigation-system to accurately hit the intened recipient? That's an entirely different question.

You are talking about a network of microservers. Which is already extremely challenging down here on Earth IT-wise.

And peanut? Seriously?????
Do you have any idea how much range a wireless computer the size of a peanut has when it comes to SENDING data?
Less than 1 inch.
https://gizmodo.com/googles-pixel-buds-arent-even-close-to-being-good-1820411288

defacto7

(13,485 posts)

6. Ha.. pixel buds in space. That is funny.

Reply to DetlefK (Reply #5)

Wed Nov 15, 2017, 12:32 PM

Nov 2017

Micro satelites are a reality. Transmission in space is a little bit different than pixel buds. We transmit and receive the power a fly produces walking up a window 1 inch every hundred years and are doing it from interstellar space give or take. Technology has advanced since the '70s.

Having a traditional satellite with sovereignty is a step toward a lot of possibilities if the subject is sovereignty. Otherwise there's no logic in it having sovereignty except as a billionaire's toy. The only toy Russian billionares have is money and he wants sovereignty for his play thing.

And you are correct... I am without a doubt mixing diplomatic and technological issues. They make great philisophical and practical content.

Reply to this discussion