Sweden becomes 38th country to sign NASA's "Artemis Accords"

Tags: International News

On April 16, 2024, Sweden officially became the 38th nation to sign NASA's "Artemis Accords," joining other countries in establishing guidelines for peaceful space exploration.

An Overview of the News

• The agreement was signed by Mats Persson, Minister for Education of Sweden, and Erik D. Ramanathan, the United States Ambassador to Sweden, in Stockholm.

Switzerland's Entry into Artemis Accords

• Switzerland preceded Sweden, becoming the 37th country to sign the Artemis Accords on April 15, 2024.

• Guy Parmelin, Swiss Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education, signed the accords on behalf of Switzerland.

• The signing ceremony took place at NASA headquarters in Washington D.C., with Bill Nelson, NASA administrator, present.

List of signatories to the Artemis Accord as of April 20, 2024:

• New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, and Sweden.

Artemis Accords Overview

• Initiation: Launched jointly by NASA and the US Department of State in 2020.

• Signatories: Eight founding countries signed on October 13, 2020.

• Nature: Non-binding agreement with no financial commitments.

• Purpose: Establish a framework for implementing key obligations from the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, promoting responsible and sustainable space exploration.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

• It is an autonomous body under the United States federal government.

• Its primary duties include overseeing the civilian space program.

• Additionally, NASA conducts research in the fields of aeronautics and space.

• Its mandate includes exploration beyond Earth's atmosphere.

• The agency is responsible for advancing scientific knowledge and technological innovation in space exploration and related fields.

  • Established - 29 July 1958

  • Founder - Dwight D. Eisenhower

  • Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States