NASA Artemis Accords

The Artemis Accords is a formal agreement among different nations that ensures that any research activity conducted in outer space shall benefit the entire human race and not harm the interests of other countries. As of 28th March 2022, eighteen nations have enrolled their names as Artemis Accords members. This bilateral mutual commitment legislation has been put forward by NASA to develop the opportunities for mankind’s expedition on Moon and Mars particularly. The project was initiated on 13th October 2020. It is an international law that binds together all the signatory countries who thereafter appear as Artemis Accords members. There are many disputes and confusion regarding the enactment as it is in the early stages and does not clearly define the ownership rights of extraterrestrial resources. However, the US Government has promoted the Artemis Accords program extensively which led to its widespread approval among the European developed nations and a few Asian countries as well. NASA has expressed the necessity of treating space resources as earthly materials that are extracted from grey areas or oceans which do not fall within the realm of a country. Thus they can be readily accessed by private companies who find them. Debates are active whether this Artemis Accords citation is following the Outer Space Law or not. In 1967 this treaty was drafted taking input from both the US and Soviet Union governments in the UN General Assembly of 1966. It came into action on 10th October 1967. 

Artemis Accords Members

Currently, eighteen nations have been approved for the NASA-led Artemis Accords project. Singapore is the latest inclusion among countries that have been mentioned in the Artemis Accords citation. Before them, Romania also signed the agreement through a virtual meeting which was conducted between the Ministry of Foreign Department of Romania and NASA Administrator MR. Bill Nelson. Both the parties agreed to help each other to execute expeditions in space aiming for a peaceful learning experience. Other Artemis Accords members like Japan, Brazil, New Zealand, Poland, South Korea, Israel, and Mexico approved this venture based on various immediate causes. While Brazil co-operated with NASA to realise a historic moon expedition, New Zealand’s space governing authorities simply put forward their support to ensure sustainability in activities involving space mining. Apart from these specific causes, certain generic objectives are being taken care of by the Artemis Accords members, these are registration of outer space matters, mutual support in emergencies, maintaining transparency by sharing plans of the expedition and sending updates from space, mitigation of stellar and orbital debris and lastly ensuring that all associated activities are not potent of destroying the peaceful space treaties. 

Eight founding members initially registered themselves as the Artemis Accords countries. Apart from America, the other participants are the United Kingdom, UAE, Luxembourg, Australia, Japan, Canada and Italy. Till today, the agreement remains open for agreement indefinitely. Approval of a country’s national space agency by NASA is the primary hurdle to cross to become a board member of the Artemis Accords. Now let us discuss its provisions.

Accords

The guidelines that need to be followed by the Artemis Accords members are given below:

• Studies conducted in space must benefit humanity and should be aimed at peaceful actions. No international space law must be violated
• Article XI of the Outer Space Treaty demands sound transparency of scientific data gathered through observation in space. This has to be maintained by the members of the Artemis Accords
• Reasonable efforts need to be put and resources have to be allocated for funding space research infrastructure
• The members must be ready to help the Rescue team save the astronomers who are in distress in outer space. This call for duty is specified in the Artemis Accords
• The Registration Convention of the UNGA must be informed about the discovery of objects in outer space. This is compulsory for each member
• Mutual agreement is signed to minimise the accumulation of debris in space

Conclusion

The Artemis program has brought many countries together by launching its Artemis Accords project that is designed to ease expeditions to the Moon and Mars, two closest neighbours of our planet. Provisions have been laid out by NASA which need to be agreed upon by the signatory countries. Apart from robust campaigns executed on Moon, the association is planning for a revolutionary mission to Mars by the end of 2030.