Become a space citizen

[BeBMan]

..,.. without the chance to be there for the a long, long time, but I guess it's the idea that counts:

A group of scientists is launching what they say will be a new pacifist nation-state in space.

Asgardia "will become a place in orbit which is truly 'no man's land'," its website says.

The new "nation" aims to launch its first satellite late next year and hopes to one day be recognised by the UN.

But some experts have cast doubt on the viability of the plan, given international law prohibits national sovereignty claims in outer space.

"Citizens" of Asgardia, who will be scrutinised before admission, will eventually obtain passports, says Lena de Winne, a senior member of the project team who worked for the European Space Agency for 15 years.

(...)

full: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37650274

[Proteus_MST]

Asgardia seems to be a strange choice of name for a supposedly pacifist nation,
considering that the Aesir, gods of the nordic pantheon that are connected with "Asgard", were far from peaceful
(to the contrary ... life in Asgard was described as drinking mead, followed by going to battle, then again drinking mead and so on)

Addendum:
But on a sidenote:
While I believe this would be a wonderful Utopia, I a afraid that such a space station would sooner or later take a bad ending. Either the space statrion will be destroyed by some (nuclear) missile from some rogue nation on the ground or it would get invaded, probably by religious extremists, who desire to forcibly impose the rules of their religion on the inhabitants of the space station, for the glory of their god

[Lorizael]

Maybe they're going for the Stargate Asgard.

[Aeson]

It's much easier to become a citizen of Assguardia ... just have to get sent to prison.

[Proteus_MST]

Maybe they're going for the Stargate Asgard.

True .. totally forgot about them.
On the other hand, while being pacifist, the Asgard possessed the techological superiority (and military means) to convince even the big baddies (like the Goa' uld) that it would be a wise move to remain on püeaceful terms with the Asgard

[Lorizael]

Totes. They were badass pacifists.

[Dinner]

The likelihood of this happening in our lifetime is asymptotic to zero.

[Elok]

It's much easier to become a citizen of Assguardia ... just have to get sent to prison.

They're pacifists. They're always feeling butthurt about something anyway.

[Elok]

More seriously, this scheme sounds sublimely pointless. A nation with no military (or any coercive power), no natural resources, a scattered population who cannot be coerced into paying taxes, and vast infrastructure expenses. Much the sort of harebrained and impractical plan I'd expect of pacifists, really.

[SlowwHand]

Sounds like bored nerds.