NASA Welcomes Greece as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson recently took part in a signing ceremony alongside Greece’s foreign minister, Giorgos Gerapetritis, marking Greece as the 35th country to join the Artemis Accords. These accords lay out a practical framework of principles to assist in international collaboration on space exploration endeavors.
The event, hosted at the U.S. Department of State, was attended by prominent figures including NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Dr. Ioannis Daglis, president of the Hellenic Space Center. The signing took place during the fifth United States-Greece Strategic Dialogue in Washington.
Nelson expressed his congratulations to Greece on their decision to become part of the Artemis Accords family, highlighting the longstanding partnership between the U.S. and Greece. He emphasized the opportunity for enhanced collaboration in space exploration, shaping the future of cooperation for the Artemis Generation.
Initially established in 2020 with the United States and seven other countries as founding signatories, the Artemis Accords have since led to focused discussions on the best ways to implement the outlined principles. As humanity enters a new era of space exploration, with plans to return to the Moon and venture beyond, Gerapetritis stated that the Accords serve as a symbol of unity and cooperation among nations, fostering sustainable and peaceful exploration of space.
By reinforcing and implementing key responsibilities outlined in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, the Artemis Accords also strengthen the commitment of the United States and signing nations to various international agreements and best practices, including the sharing of scientific data.
Anticipated growth in the number of countries signing the accords in the coming months and years will further promote safe, peaceful, and prosperous activities in space. For more information on the Artemis Accords and their implications, visit the official NASA website at: https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords
For further inquiries, contact Faith McKie or Roxana Bardan at NASA Headquarters in Washington via email at faith.mckie@nasa.gov or roxana.bardan@nasa.gov. Click here to read the full press release.