Armenia has officially become the tenth country to sign the Artemis Accords, a set of guidelines for safe and responsible space exploration. The signing ceremony took place at NASA Headquarters, where Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, the minister of high-tech industry in Armenia, signed the Accords in the presence of NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and other officials.
The Artemis Accords were introduced in 2020 and are designed to establish best practices for countries involved in space exploration. These guidelines are based on existing treaties like the Outer Space Treaty and cover various aspects of space activities, including transparency, interoperability, and the use of space resources.
Armenia’s decision to join the Artemis Accords is a significant step towards advancing its technological capabilities and inspiring future generations of Armenians to explore the universe. By signing these accords, Armenia is joining a global community of nations committed to pushing the boundaries of human knowledge and capability in space.
This signing comes at a time when there is increasing interest in the Artemis Accords. With Armenia being the tenth country to sign this year, the total number of signatories has reached 43. Other countries that have recently signed the Accords include Belgium, Greece, Lithuania, Peru, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and Uruguay. This growing interest in the Accords reflects a global recognition of the importance of international cooperation in space exploration.
While Armenia has joined the Artemis Accords, there are other collaborative initiatives in the space sector, such as the China-led International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). Serbia became the 11th country to join ILRS in May, joining other nations like Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Egypt, and Russia. Interestingly, no country has yet signed both the Artemis Accords and joined ILRS, but U.S. officials have indicated that there are no restrictions preventing countries from participating in both initiatives.
Overall, Armenia’s decision to sign the Artemis Accords underscores its commitment to advancing space exploration and collaborating with the global space community. This move opens up new opportunities for Armenia to contribute to international space missions and foster innovation and scientific discovery in the field of space exploration.
