72 countries will now follow NASA-led principles for exploring the Moon and Mars
The Artemis Accords is just about to gain its 72nd member, as Djibouti is set to sign on to the agreement that began in 2020, outlining NASA's core principles when it comes to space travel in the near future.
It became clear in the last half a decade that space travel was finally a possibility again, as it had been nearly 50 years since astronauts had last set foot on the Moon when the Artemis Accords were first signed in 2020.
This saw the need for a collective set of ideas that were agreed on between many of the world's leading nations, outlining the purposes and aims of space travel as journeys to Mars and the Moon would soon become a possibility.
Now, six years later, the number of signatory nations has reached 72, and it is key as we edge ever closer to the return of humans to space, and the potential for a permanent presence on the lunar surface.
What are the Artemis Accords?
According to NASA, the Artemis Accords initially began as an agreement between the space agency, the U.S. Department of State, and seven other initial signatory nations in 2020.
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These 'founding' nations were Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom, with Ukraine also joining a month later. Since then, the list of signatories has expanded to 71, with a 72nd set to join today with the arrival of Djibouti.
"With many countries and private companies conducting missions and operations around the Moon, the Artemis Accords provide a common set of principles to enhance the governance of the civil exploration and use of outer space," NASA explains.
"The Artemis Accords reinforce the commitment by signatory nations to the Outer Space Treaty, the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices and norms of responsible behavior for civil space exploration and use."
Effectively, ever nation that joins the Artemis Accords is liable to behave the same way and follow the same rules in space, as the nature of it being 'owned' by no nation requires the equal participation of the world in ensuring responsible use.
When will Djibouti join to Artemis Accords?
It will be at 11 a.m. EDT on Monday, September 14 that the Republic of Djibouti officially joins the Artemis Accords as a signatory, with the ceremony taking place at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
It joins 12 other signatories in joining the Artemis Accords this year alone, with heavy-hitter nations like Portugal, Morocco, Ireland, and Turkey all reaching an agreement with NASA nearly six years after the program was first introduced.
Notably both China and Russia – arguably the world's two leading space agencies outside of the United States – are not part of the Artemis Accords, with both arguing that the agreement is 'too America-centric' with commercial interests placed too heavily at the forefront.
Instead, they have reached an agreement to work together on the Chinese International Lunar Research Station, offering an alternative option for countries that might not want to align themselves with America going forward.