Artemis Accords Reach 50 Signatories as NASA Welcomes Panama, Austria

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Dec 11, 2024, 17:26 ET

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Panama and Austria signed the Artemis Accords Wednesday during separate signing ceremonies at NASA Headquarters in Washington, becoming the 49th and 50th nations to commit to the responsible exploration of space for all humanity.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, left, and U.S. Department of State Acting Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Jennifer R. Littlejohn, right, look on as Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to the United States of America Petra Schneebauer, signs the Artemis Accords, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington. The Republic of Austria is the 50th country to sign the Artemis Accords, which establish a practical set of principles to guide space exploration cooperation among nations participating in NASA’s Artemis program. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, left, Ambassador of the Republic of Panama to the United States of America José Miguel Alemán Healy, center, and U.S. Department of State Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Tony Fernandes, pose for a picture after the Republic of Panama signed the Artemis Accords, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington. The Republic of Panama is the 49th country to sign the Artemis Accords, which establish a practical set of principles to guide space exploration cooperation among nations participating in NASA’s Artemis program. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

"NASA welcomes Panama and Austria to the Artemis Accords community and celebrates 50 countries united by shared principles for the safe and responsible exploration of space," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said. "More than ever before, NASA is opening space to more nations and more people for the benefit of all. Together we are building long-term and peaceful deep space exploration for the Artemis Generation."

In just a few years, the original group of eight country signatories including the United States has multiplied, with 17 countries signings in 2024. More than a number, the Artemis Accords represent a robust community, from every region of the world, unified by the same goal: to ensure safe and responsible civil space exploration.

Through the Artemis Accords, the United States and other signatories are progressing toward continued safe and sustainable exploration of space with concrete outcomes. They committed to a method of operation and set of recommendations on non-interference, interoperability, release of scientific data, long-term sustainability guidelines, and registration to advance the implementation of the Artemis Accords.

Potential focus areas for the next year include further advancing sustainability, including debris management for both lunar orbit and the surface of the Moon.

Austria Joins Artemis Accords

Petra Schneebauer, ambassador of the Republic of Austria to the United States, signed the accords on behalf of Austria, becoming the 50th country signatory.

"Austria is proud to sign the Artemis Accords, an important step in fostering international cooperation for the civil exploration of the Moon and expanding humanity's presence in the cosmos," said Schneebauer. "By signing the Accords, we reaffirm our commitment to the peaceful, responsible, and cooperative use of space while emphasizing our support for strong multilateral partnerships and scientific progress. This cooperation will open new prospects for Austrian businesses, scientists, and research institutions to engage in pioneering space initiatives."

Jennifer Littlejohn, acting assistant secretary, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, U.S. Department of State, also participated in Austria's signing event.

Panama Joins Artemis Accords

Earlier Wednesday, Nelson hosted Panama for a signing ceremony. José Miguel Alemán Healy, ambassador of the Republic of Panama to the United States, signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of Panama. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Tony Fernandes for U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs also participated in the event.

"Today, Panama takes its place among many other nations looking not just to our own horizons, but to the horizons beyond our planet - exploring, learning, and contributing to humanity's collective knowledge," said Alemán."This moment represents far more than a diplomatic signature. It is a bold commitment to peaceful exploration, scientific discovery, and international collaboration."

In 2020, the United States, led by NASA with the U.S. Department of State, and seven other initial signatory nations established the Artemis Accords, identifying a set of principles promoting the beneficial use of space for humanity.

The Artemis Accords are grounded in the Outer Space Treaty and other agreements including the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices and norms of responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data.

The accords are a voluntary commitment to engage in safe, transparent, responsible behavior in space, and any nation that wants to commit to those values is welcome to sign.

Learn more about the Artemis Accords at:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords/

SOURCE NASA