Malaysia and the Philippines have formally endorsed the Artemis Accords, a set of guidelines designed to govern behavior in space exploration. The announcement was included in a White House fact sheet on October 26, coinciding with President Trump's visit to Malaysia. The fact sheet emphasized that "Maintaining a long tradition of U.S. leadership in space, the Philippines and Malaysia committed to principles of safe and transparent space exploration by signing the Artemis Accords."
Aside from the White House statement and a social media post by the U.S. State Department, official communication regarding the signings has been limited. The recent federal government shutdown has reportedly hampered NASA and the State Department’s ability to actively promote such events. Statements from the foreign ministries of Malaysia and the Philippines were not immediately available.
With the addition of Malaysia and the Philippines, the number of countries signing the Artemis Accords has risen to 59, including seven in the current year and three this month, following Hungary's accession on October 22. The Accords were first introduced five years ago and initially signed by eight nations, including the United States. The document provides a framework of best practices for safe and sustainable space exploration. These practices encompass transparency, scientific data sharing, responsible use of space resources, and the creation of "safety zones" to prevent interference.
Last month, representatives from 39 signatory countries gathered at the International Astronautical Congress to discuss the progress in implementing the Accords’ provisions, including non-interference, data sharing, and the reduction of lunar orbital debris. A significant point of discussion was encouraging more countries to join the initiative. "Some members are trying to find their value add for the Accords," stated Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, a United Arab Emirates government minister who chairs the board of the UAE Space Agency, during a press conference. He mentioned an upcoming workshop in Peru that will concentrate on ensuring active participation from all signatories. "We want to have a very well-defined way that enables these countries to contribute," he added.