At a ceremony held at the Brussels Museum on Tuesday, Belgium became the 34th country to sign the Artemis Accords. The agreement establishes a set of practical principles to guide space exploration cooperation among nations, including those participating in NASA’s Artemis campaign.
“We congratulate Belgium on becoming the newest member of the Artemis Accord family,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “It is clear that countries around the world understand the opportunities that space presents. As the 34th signatory to the Artemis Accords, Belgium is demonstrating outstanding leadership in addressing responsible exploration in the 21st century. .”
It was signed on behalf of Belgium by Hajja Rachbib, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs, Foreign Trade and the Federal Cultural Organization, and Thomas Delmine, Secretary of State for Economic Recovery and Strategic Investment, who is responsible for science policy.
“Joining the Artemis Accord reflects the logic of our cooperation and will allow Belgium to participate in the working groups of the countries that have already signed it,” Dermin said.
“Belgium always has its feet on the ground and its head up in the stars,” said Rahbib. “Our country is one of the world’s leading nations in space exploration. The signing of the Artemis Accord demonstrates our continued commitment to sustainable and responsible space and strengthens our relationships with international partners. This opens up new economic opportunities for our company, which has world-renowned expertise in the space sector.”
NASA, in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, established the Artemis Accord in 2020 with seven other original signatories. Since then, the agreement signatories have engaged in intensive discussions on how best to implement the principles of the Artemis Accords.
The Artemis Accords strengthen and enforce important obligations under the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. These agreements also strengthen the U.S. and signatory nations’ commitment to the best practices and norms of responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have upheld, including the Registration Treaty, Rescue and Return Agreement, and public access to scientific data. .
More countries are expected to sign the agreement in the coming months and years, which is critical to promoting safe, peaceful and prosperous operations in space. For more information on the Artemis Accords, please see below.
https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords
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Faith McKee / Roxana Berdan
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
faith.mckie@nasa.gov / roxana.bardan@nasa.gov