The Artemis Accords achieved a significant milestone on December 11th, 2023, with Panama and Austria becoming the 50th and 51st signatories. This agreement, outlining principles for responsible space exploration, now boasts an impressive number of participating nations.
Separate ceremonies at NASA Headquarters marked the occasion. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson celebrated the achievement, stating, “Can you believe it, 50? This is almost a quarter of all of the nations of the world.” He emphasized the importance of collaboration in addressing the challenges of space exploration.
Jennifer Littlejohn, acting assistant secretary of the State Department’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, highlighted the diverse range of signatories, including both major spacefaring powers and nations new to space activities. Austria, a member of the European Space Agency and the European Union, and host to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and its Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), expressed its commitment to furthering international collaboration.
Austria’s ambassador to the United States, Petra Schneebauer, stated, “Austria is excited to deepen its international collaboration in space exploration. We believe that the Artemis Accords is a complementary framework to enrich and complement the work of UN COPUOS.”
Panama, a newer entrant to the space arena, having joined COPUOS in 2021, also expressed its enthusiasm. Ambassador José Miguel Alemán Healy described the signing as “a bold commitment to peaceful exploration, scientific discovery and international collaboration.”
Mike Gold, chief growth officer at Redwire and a former NASA official, emphasized the significance of the growing number of signatories, stating, “Numbers do matter, and the more countries that sign the Accords the stronger their influence will be to support vital principles such as transparency, the utilization of space resources, and interoperability.”
Valda Vikmanis, director of the State Department’s Office of Space Affairs, attributed the increasing number of signatories to a shared recognition of the Accords' values and the benefits of collaborative discussions. She highlighted the unique opportunities afforded by meetings of Artemis Accords signatories for open and frank conversations.
Bill Nelson likened the development of the Accords to a relay race, emphasizing the continued commitment across administrations. Mike Gold expressed anticipation for reaching 52 signatories, a number representing a majority of COPUOS members.
With the momentum of 17 new signatories this year alone, the future of the Artemis Accords looks bright, promising continued growth and a strengthened framework for responsible and collaborative space exploration.