
Albania will officially join the Artemis Accords, the international initiative led by NASA and the United States for the peaceful, safe and sustainable exploration of space.
The signing ceremony will take place on Monday, September 21, at 12:00 noon local time in Washington, D.C., at NASA Headquarters. With this step, Albania will become the 73rd country to sign the Artemis Accords.
The ceremony will be attended by Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha, and the Albanian Ambassador to the United States, Ervin Bushati. The ceremony will be organized by NASA Deputy Administrator, Matt Anderson, along with representatives of the US Department of State.
What are Artemis Agreements?
The Artemis Accords were created in 2020 by the United States, through NASA and the State Department, along with the seven other founding countries.
The initiative was created at a time when interest from states and private companies in missions and activities on the Moon was growing. The agreements define a set of common principles to guide civilian exploration of the Moon, Mars and space beyond.
The focus is on security, transparency, cooperation and coordination between countries that conduct space activities.
The agreements are based on the principles of the Outer Space Treaty and other international documents regulating activities in space. Their principles include the peaceful use of space, registration of space objects, exchange of scientific data, assistance in emergencies, and avoidance of harmful interference between missions.
NASA describes the Artemis Accords as a framework of practical principles intended to make space exploration safer, more transparent, and more coordinated.
Albania, part of international cooperation on space
The signing of the agreement includes Albania in an international network of countries that cooperate on the principles and practices for civil space exploration.
Participation does not only mean space missions, but also commitment to common principles for the responsible and peaceful use of space and the exchange of scientific knowledge.
The Artemis Accords are linked to NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon and lay the groundwork for future missions farther afield, including the exploration of Mars.
By signing them, Albania becomes part of this international framework for the future of civil exploration and use of space.