Artemis Accords facts for kids
| The Artemis Accords: Principles for Cooperation in the Civil Exploration and Use of the Moon, Mars, Comets, and Asteroids for Peaceful Purposes | |
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Map showing the countries that signed the Artemis Accords, highlighted in blue
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| Type | Space law |
| Drafted | 2020 |
| Signed | October 13, 2020 |
| Parties | 71 countries |
| Languages | English |
The Artemis Accords are a set of international guidelines created to guide outer space exploration. They help countries work together peacefully as humans travel back to the Moon, visit Mars, and explore asteroids.
These agreements are closely tied to the Artemis program, an international space mission led by NASA in the United States. The goal of the Artemis program is to land astronauts on the Moon, build a lasting base camp, and prepare for human missions to Mars.
As of August 2026, 71 nations across the world have signed the Artemis Accords. By signing, these countries promise to follow key space laws, share their scientific findings openly, help astronauts in emergencies, and protect important historical landing sites on celestial bodies.
Contents
- What Are the Artemis Accords?
- Core Principles of the Artemis Accords
- Peaceful Exploration and Cooperation
- Transparency and Open Science
- Interoperability and Standard Equipment
- Emergency Assistance in Space
- Registering Space Objects
- Protecting Historic Space Heritage
- Space Resources and Safe Mining
- Preventing Harmful Interference and Safety Zones
- Mitigating Space Debris
- History and Expansion
- Complete List of Signatory Countries
- Scientific and Technological Importance
- Perspectives and Global Discussions
- Related Pages
What Are the Artemis Accords?
Purpose and Goals of the Accords
The Artemis Accords establish a clear set of rules for modern space exploration. As more nations and private companies build rockets, clear guidelines prevent conflicts and encourage friendly cooperation.
Space agencies want to build long-term bases on the Moon. Doing this requires clear agreements on how to share resources, communicate, and avoid interfering with each other's equipment.
The Accords build directly upon the famous Outer Space Treaty of 1967. They make sure that ancient space treaties apply smoothly to modern technologies like lunar rovers, space mining tools, and long-term space habitats.
Who Created the Accords?
The document was drafted by NASA along with the United States Department of State and the National Space Council. They consulted several partner nations before officially publishing the rules in 2020.
Rather than being a single rigid treaty voted on by the United Nations, the Accords work through direct agreements between the United States and each partner country. Any nation that plans to follow peaceful space rules can sign.
Core Principles of the Artemis Accords
Peaceful Exploration and Cooperation
The primary rule of the Artemis Accords is that all space missions must be purely peaceful. Every mission must follow international law and work to benefit all humankind.
Signatory countries promise that their scientific experiments, habitats, and rovers will not be used for military aggression. Peaceful cooperation allows scientists from different countries to solve complex problems together.
Transparency and Open Science
Countries that sign the Accords agree to be open and honest about their space policies and plans. They share scientific data openly with the public and other scientists.
When an automated probe or an astronaut discovers water ice or rare minerals, the scientific findings are published. Open science helps everyone on Earth learn more about the solar system without having to repeat the exact same missions.
Interoperability and Standard Equipment
Interoperability means making machines and systems work together easily. In space, having matching equipment can save lives.
The Accords encourage countries to design compatible gear:
- Standardized docking ports so any spacecraft can connect to a lunar station.
- Compatible airlock systems and spacesuit connectors.
- Shared communication frequencies so astronauts can talk to ground control anywhere.
- Universal power plugs and refueling nozzles for lunar rovers.
Emergency Assistance in Space
Space is an extreme and dangerous environment. If an astronaut faces an emergency, every nearby space agency is expected to help.
The Accords reinforce the 1968 Rescue Agreement. If a crew runs low on oxygen, experiences a mechanical failure, or makes an emergency landing, any signatory nation nearby must provide rescue support.
Registering Space Objects
Whenever a country launches a rocket, satellite, probe, or habitat, it must officially register the object with the United Nations.
Registering space hardware prevents confusion in orbit. It helps scientists track orbital paths, prevents spacecraft collisions, and ensures every nation remains responsible for the hardware it launches.
Protecting Historic Space Heritage
Human beings have left incredible historical artifacts on the Moon and other worlds. These include the Apollo 11 landing site where Neil Armstrong first stepped, robotic probes, and rovers.
Signatories promise to preserve these historic sites. Space missions must keep a safe distance from historic footprints, landers, and scientific instruments so they are not damaged by rocket exhaust or rover wheels.
Space Resources and Safe Mining
Future astronauts will need to live off the land through a process called In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). This includes mining water ice from deep lunar craters to create drinking water and rocket fuel.
The Accords state that extracting resources from the Moon, Mars, or asteroids is legal and necessary. However, mining a resource does not mean a country owns the entire Moon or planet.
Preventing Harmful Interference and Safety Zones
When a country operates a science base, high-energy rocket pad, or mining site, heavy operations can kick up dust or cause radio interference.
To prevent accidents, the Accords allow nations to set up temporary "safety zones" around their work areas. Inside these zones:
- Other nations are informed about ongoing activities to avoid accidental crashes.
- Free access to space is still respected, but visiting spacecraft must coordinate before entering.
- Nations must communicate openly to avoid blocking each other from vital scientific areas.
Mitigating Space Debris
Space junk is a growing problem around Earth and could become an issue around the Moon. Debris includes broken satellite parts, discarded rocket stages, and tiny paint flecks moving at high speeds.
Signatories agree to plan their missions carefully to minimize waste. They promise to safely dispose of old spacecraft at the end of their missions by de-orbiting them or parking them in safe disposal orbits.
History and Expansion
Launching the Accords in 2020
In May 2020, NASA officially announced the principles of the Artemis Accords. On October 13, 2020, eight founding nations signed the document during a special virtual ceremony:
- Australia
- Canada
- Italy
- Japan
- Luxembourg
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
Ukraine joined the Accords one month later, becoming the ninth member.
Global Growth from 2021 to 2023
Over the next few years, many other countries signed the Accords to participate in robotic exploration and human spaceflight missions.
In 2021, South Korea, New Zealand, Brazil, Poland, and Mexico joined. Brazil was the first South American nation to sign, while Poland brought expertise from the European space industry.
In 2022, ten more countries joined, including Israel, Romania, Bahrain, Singapore, Colombia, France, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, and Nigeria. Rwanda and Nigeria were the first African nations to sign.
In 2023, the Czech Republic, Spain, Ecuador, India, Argentina, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, and Angola joined the coalition.
Continued Worldwide Accession
Between 2024 and 2026, nations across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas continued joining the Artemis Accords.
In 2024, nineteen countries signed, including Belgium, Greece, Uruguay, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Lithuania, Peru, Slovakia, Armenia, the Dominican Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Chile, Denmark, Panama, Austria, Thailand, and Liechtenstein.
In 2025, Finland, Bangladesh, Norway, Senegal, Hungary, Malaysia, and the Philippines added their signatures during major diplomatic summits.
In 2026, Portugal, Oman, Latvia, Jordan, Morocco, Malta, Ireland, Paraguay, Botswana, Serbia, Mauritius, and Turkey signed the Accords, bringing the total number of members to 71.
Complete List of Signatory Countries
The table below lists all 71 nations that have signed the Artemis Accords in order of their signing date:
| Country | Continent | Date Signed |
|---|---|---|
 Australia |
Oceania | October 13, 2020 |
 Canada |
North America | October 13, 2020 |
 Italy |
Europe | October 13, 2020 |
 Japan |
Asia | October 13, 2020 |
 Luxembourg |
Europe | October 13, 2020 |
 United Arab Emirates |
Asia | October 13, 2020 |
 United Kingdom |
Europe | October 13, 2020 |
 United States |
North America | October 13, 2020 |
 Ukraine |
Europe | November 12, 2020 |
 South Korea |
Asia | May 24, 2021 |
 New Zealand |
Oceania | May 31, 2021 |
 Brazil |
South America | June 15, 2021 |
 Poland |
Europe | October 26, 2021 |
 Mexico |
North America | December 9, 2021 |
 Israel |
Asia | January 26, 2022 |
 Romania |
Europe | March 1, 2022 |
 Bahrain |
Asia | March 2, 2022 |
 Singapore |
Asia | March 28, 2022 |
 Colombia |
South America | May 10, 2022 |
 France |
Europe | June 7, 2022 |
 Saudi Arabia |
Asia | July 14, 2022 |
 Nigeria |
Africa | December 13, 2022 |
 Rwanda |
Africa | December 13, 2022 |
 Czech Republic |
Europe | May 3, 2023 |
 Spain |
Europe | May 30, 2023 |
 Ecuador |
South America | June 21, 2023 |
 India |
Asia | June 22, 2023 |
 Argentina |
South America | July 27, 2023 |
 Germany |
Europe | September 14, 2023 |
 Iceland |
Europe | October 10, 2023 |
 Netherlands |
Europe | November 1, 2023 |
 Bulgaria |
Europe | November 9, 2023 |
 Angola |
Africa | November 30, 2023 |
 Belgium |
Europe | January 23, 2024 |
 Greece |
Europe | February 9, 2024 |
 Uruguay |
South America | February 15, 2024 |
 Switzerland |
Europe | April 15, 2024 |
 Sweden |
Europe | April 16, 2024 |
 Slovenia |
Europe | April 19, 2024 |
 Lithuania |
Europe | May 15, 2024 |
 Peru |
South America | May 30, 2024 |
 Slovakia |
Europe | May 30, 2024 |
 Armenia |
Asia | June 12, 2024 |
 Dominican Republic |
North America | October 4, 2024 |
 Estonia |
Europe | October 13, 2024 |
 Cyprus |
Asia | October 23, 2024 |
 Chile |
South America | October 25, 2024 |
 Denmark |
Europe | November 13, 2024 |
 Panama |
North America | December 11, 2024 |
 Austria |
Europe | December 11, 2024 |
 Thailand |
Asia | December 16, 2024 |
 Liechtenstein |
Europe | December 20, 2024 |
 Finland |
Europe | January 21, 2025 |
 Bangladesh |
Asia | April 8, 2025 |
 Norway |
Europe | May 15, 2025 |
 Senegal |
Africa | July 24, 2025 |
 Hungary |
Europe | October 22, 2025 |
 Malaysia |
Asia | October 26, 2025 |
 Philippines |
Asia | October 27, 2025 |
 Portugal |
Europe | January 11, 2026 |
 Oman |
Asia | January 26, 2026 |
 Latvia |
Europe | April 20, 2026 |
 Jordan |
Asia | April 23, 2026 |
 Morocco |
Africa | April 29, 2026 |
 Malta |
Europe | May 4, 2026 |
 Ireland |
Europe | May 4, 2026 |
 Paraguay |
South America | May 7, 2026 |
 Botswana |
Africa | June 25, 2026 |
 Serbia |
Europe | July 16, 2026 |
 Mauritius |
Africa | July 17, 2026 |
 Turkey |
Asia | August 31, 2026 |
Scientific and Technological Importance
Supporting the Artemis Missions
Signing the Accords enables countries to contribute directly to the Artemis program. Partner countries build essential hardware, design scientific rovers, and train astronauts for deep space missions.
For instance, the European Space Agency builds service modules for the Orion spacecraft, while the Canadian Space Agency is constructing a robotic arm called Canadarm3 for the lunar Gateway space station. The Italian Space Agency works on habitable modules for living on the lunar surface.
Advancing Space Science and Education
International cooperation helps train students, scientists, and engineers worldwide. When universities and research centers work together on space hardware, technological advancements happen faster.
Technologies developed for lunar missions often lead to useful inventions on Earth, such as improved solar panels, advanced water purification systems, and better medical monitoring tools.
Perspectives and Global Discussions
Positive Viewpoints
Supporters consider the Artemis Accords a major step forward for international diplomacy. They provide practical, modern rules that encourage peaceful exploration, open science, and safety standards for all space explorers.
Many legal experts praise the Accords for protecting human heritage sites in space and for creating clear emergency assistance guidelines for astronauts.
Questions and Debates
Some legal experts and non-signatory nations have raised questions about how space mining should be managed globally.
A central debate focuses on whether extracting space resources should be governed solely by direct bilateral agreements or through comprehensive international treaties managed directly by the United Nations. Continued discussions help ensure that space exploration remains safe, sustainable, and fair for every nation on Earth.
Related Pages
