Panama and Austria sign the Artemis Accords: total countries 50

Science: Fifty countries have now joined NASA’s effort to establish peaceful and cooperative international space exploration. Panama and Austria signed NASA’s Artemis Accords on Wednesday (Dec. 11), making them the 49th and 50th countries to commit to responsible exploration of space for all humanity, according to a NASA statement.

“NASA welcomes Panama and Austria to the Artemis Accords community and celebrates 50 countries united by shared principles for the safe and responsible exploration of space,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in the statement. “More than ever, NASA is opening space to more countries and more people for the benefit of all. Together we are building long-term and peaceful deep space exploration for the Artemis Generation.” The Artemis Accords were established in October 2020, with eight original countries as signatories. Panama and Austria joined the growing list of international partners during separate signing ceremonies at NASA Headquarters in Washington on Dec. 11.

The agreement’s guiding principles focus on peaceful and responsible space exploration, building on the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and other international agreements. The principles reinforce a collective commitment to scientific discovery, innovation and sustainability, setting a standard for future space missions, including NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon for the first time since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

“Austria is proud to sign the Artemis Accords, which mark an important step in promoting international cooperation for the civilian exploration of the Moon and expanding humanity’s presence in the universe,” Austrian Ambassador to the United States Petra Schneebauer, who signed the agreement on behalf of her country, said in the statement.

“By signing the agreement, we reaffirm our commitment to the peaceful, responsible and cooperative use of space, as well as emphasize our support for strong multilateral partnerships and scientific progress,” Schneebauer added. “This cooperation will open up new possibilities for Austrian businesses, scientists and research institutions to get involved in leading space initiatives.”