Mauritius becomes 70th nation to sign the Artemis Accords

WASHINGTON — The island nation of Mauritius signed the Artemis Accords July 17, becoming the 70th nation to do so in less than six years. In a ceremony in the Mauritian city of Ébène, Navindsing Jugmohunsing of the country’s Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Research signed the accords. U.S. State Department officials attended the event, while NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson provided remarks by video. “The accession of Mauritius to the Artemis Accords marks a defining chapter in our new space journey,” Jugmohunsing said in a statement. “As a small island developing state in the Indian Ocean, we are committed to ensuring that space serves humanity by protecting our oceans and coastlines and amplifying the voices of nations like ours.” “Mauritius stands ready to help shape the future of space governance while unlocking new opportunities for innovation and partnership,” he added. Mauritius signed the Artemis Accords one day after Serbia did so at an event at NASA Headquarters. Mauritius is the 70th country to sign the Accords and the 11th so far this year. The Artemis Accords outline best practices in space exploration on topics such as deconfliction of space activities, utilization of space resources and exchange of scientific data. NASA officials say they also plan to use the Accords to coordinate international cooperation in the agency’s lunar exploration plans, such as development of a moon base. “Together, we are creating the foundation for future exploration while ensuring that space remains peaceful, accessible and beneficial for all,” Anderson said in a statement. “That work requires capable partners and a shared commitment to responsible exploration.” NASA and the State Department rolled out the Artemis Accords in 2020, with seven nations joining the United States as original signatories. “Going from seven nations joining the U.S. in signing the Accords in 2020 to 70 signatories in 2026 is a huge accomplishment,” Mike Gold, president of Redwire Space and a former NASA associate administrator who coordinated the development of the Accords, told SpaceNews. “The success of the Accords demonstrates the inherent optimism and hope that the space program represents not only in America but around the world.” He supported the agency’s efforts to use the Accords as a mechanism for coordinating international participation in Artemis. “The Artemis Accords are inseparable from the Artemis program,” he said. “I’m so excited to see the U.S. lead the way in bringing the world to the lunar frontier.” Three of the Artemis Accords signatories — Senegal, Serbia and Thailand — had previously joined the Chinese-led International Lunar Research Station to develop a lunar base. “Through the Artemis Accords, we’re not just launching our astronauts, we’re launching our values to the moon,” Gold said, “which is why every ILRS nation, such as Serbia, that commits to the principles of the Artemis Accords is a special victory for a peaceful and prosper…