Asgardia Becomes the First Nation Deployed in Space (cnet.com)

An anonymous reader quotes CNET: An Orbital ATK Antares rocket carrying a cubesat named Asgardia-1 launched from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia early Sunday. The milk carton-sized satellite makes up the entirety of territory of the self-proclaimed "Space Kingdom" of Asgardia... Over 300,000 people signed up online to become "citizens" of the nation over the last year. The main privilege of citizenship so far involves the right to upload data to Asgardia-1 for safekeeping in orbit, seemingly far away from the pesky governments and laws of Earth-bound countries...

As of now, Asgardia's statehood isn't acknowledged by any other actual countries or the United Nations, and it doesn't really even fit the definition of a nation since it's not possible for a human to physically live in Asgardia. Not yet, at least. The long-term vision for Asgardia includes human settlements in space, on the moon and perhaps even more distant colonies.
On Tuesday Orbital ATK's spacecraft will dock with the International Space Station for a one-month re-supply mission -- then blast higher into orbit to deploy the space kingdom's satellite. "Asgardia space kingdom has now established its sovereign territory in space," read an online statement.

Next the space kingdom plans to hold elections for 150 Members of Parliament.

Comments

Non-Story

[Gussington]

So the first nation isn't a nation by any definition yet here we are...
Fuck Slashdot

A celestial tax haven is next?

[deviated_prevert]

Soon the rich will be able to form holding companies and tax haven banks in space if this imaginary nation state is recognized. Could be the answer to the offshore tax havens needing to increase tax rates to pay for hurricane damage. Some are increasing their rates because of the increased costs of services in remote places and the simple fact that they also have to employ large numbers of expensive armed guards and costly security specialists to secure the gold vaults. The only thing that secretive offshore tax havens are really good at is hiding away physical assets like gold, not today's digital capital which any bank registered in these places can do. Yes they really are the new Pirates of the Caribbean.

How could they also achieve space tax heavens? Simply assign a value of a certain weight of land held gold to the space craft then like bit coin issues trade it in units that can be exchanged without government oversight essentially a unit based barter system for the very rich members who buy into the schemes. Essentially a new gold standard of exchange overstepping the US Fed and becoming a viable and stable means of exchange exclusively for the very rich.

Still playing their game

[Roodvlees]

By declaring yourself a country you recognize the legitimacy of a ruling class.
The real solution of our problems can come when we can get people to give up on the belief in statism.
Which has no moral validity. Nor does it solve any problem.
It's sad that even people who woke up from the fairy tale of religion still believe in the fairy tale of governments.

Re:Sovereign-territory-in-space my ass

[DontBeAMoran]

Got the feeling that the person who posted this comment is unfamiliar with a concept known as a woosh.