Artemis Accords

The Artemis Accords are a series of non-binding multilateral arrangements between the United States government and other world governments that elaborates on the norms expected to be followed in outer space. The Accords are related to the <a href="/facts/Artemis_program/QHBrKFI8">Artemis program</a>, an American-led effort to return humans to the <a href="/facts/Moon/zKHqEMPb">Moon</a> by 2027, with the ultimate goal of expanding space exploration to Mars and beyond.
As of 15 May 2025, with the accession of <a href="/facts/Norway/wlDRKRTR">Norway</a>, 55 countries have signed the Accords, including twenty-eight in <a href="/facts/Europe/DTAtrKfh">Europe</a>, ten in <a href="/facts/Asia/4IToYrrQ">Asia</a>, seven in <a href="/facts/South_America/PhrFEMk7">South America</a>, five in <a href="/facts/North_America/djNjCQIl">North America</a>, three in <a href="/facts/Africa/XkqQUP9s">Africa</a>, and two in <a href="/facts/Oceania/vzTEvsfV">Oceania</a>.
Drafted by <a href="/facts/NASA/TIMCV0yV">NASA</a> and the <a href="/facts/United_States_Department_of_State/WsB5FMBT">U.S. Department of State</a>, the Accords establish a framework for cooperation in the civil exploration and peaceful use of the <a href="/facts/Moon/zKHqEMPb">Moon</a>, <a href="/facts/Mars/AQGtVvz0">Mars</a>, and other <a href="/facts/Celestial_objects/BCHLa0Q2">astronomical objects</a>. They are explicitly grounded in the <a href="/facts/United_Nations/fgXLnmgT">United Nations</a> <a href="/facts/Outer_Space_Treaty/41zVGz5M">Outer Space Treaty</a> of 1967, which signatories are obliged to uphold, and cite most major U.N.-brokered conventions constituting <a href="/facts/Space_law/l4Cxunqm">space law</a>.
The Accords were originally signed on 13 October 2020 by representatives of the <a href="/facts/List_of_government_space_agencies/2Hs0qa3x">national space agencies</a> of eight countries: Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, <a href="/facts/Luxembourg/vRN04l7f">Luxembourg</a>, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The Accords remain open for signature indefinitely, as NASA anticipates more nations joining. Additional signatories can choose to directly participate in Artemis program activities, or may agree simply to commit to the principles for responsible exploration of the Moon as set out in the Accords.

Artemis Accords open-in-new

Artemis Accords