The Artemis Accords were established in 2020 by NASA, together with the U.S. Department of State.
According to a press release issued by NASA last week, Saudi Arabia signed the Artemis Accords, becoming the 21st country to sign it and affirming its commitment to sustainable space exploration.
With this, Riyadh becomes the 21st country to sign this accord. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said that this adds the country’s voice to a diverse and growing set of nations. “Together we can ensure that humanity’s rapid expansion into space, toward the Moon and destinations beyond, will be done peaceably, safely, and in full accordance with international law,” he added.
The Accords were established in 2020 by NASA, together with the U.S. Department of State. “Grounded in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, the Artemis Accords are a multilateral, nonbinding declaration of principles and rules to enhance governance of the responsible exploration of outer space,” according to the U.S. Department of States. “Artemis Accords’ principles include the registration of space objects, deconfliction of activities, release of scientific data, and provision of emergency assistance. These principles help increase the safety of operations, reduce uncertainty, and promote the sustainable and beneficial use of space for all humankind.”
In layman’s terms, the Artemis Accords are an agreement reached by nations from around the world who want to participate in the Artemis Program. The Artemis Program is a US-led program to return humans to the Moon by 2025, with the ultimate goal of expanding space exploration. NASA, the United States’ space exploration agency, hopes to put the first woman and person of color on the Moon with Artemis.
The rest twenty nations of the Accords include Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. More nations are expected to sign the accord going ahead as the world’s largest economy continues to work with other nations to establish a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space.
