Marking a significant expansion in the number of signatories to the Artemis Accords, NASA welcomed Albania, Croatia, Côte d’Ivoire, and San Marino, bringing total participation to 76 countries.
“Our momentum reflects a growing commitment to peaceful, responsible exploration and a shared understanding that the future in space will be shaped by those willing to lead,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “Nearly one-third of all signatories have joined since the start of President Trump’s second term. As the President directs NASA to return Americans to the lunar surface and lay the groundwork for Mars, we are strengthening a coalition of partners who share our values and are ready to help shape the future of exploration.”
The recent surge in growth reflects one of the most rapid expansions of international cooperation in civil space history. Nearly 40% of the world’s nations are now collaborating with NASA to build a transparent, peaceful, responsible, and safe approach to space exploration. Nearly two-thirds of countries that signed the foundational 1967 Outer Space Treaty also have signed the Artemis Accords.
What began as an informal coalition of a small group of countries has developed into a large, structured community guided by the Signatories Group Method of Operations, adopted in 2024. Under this framework, the group meets twice annually, once at a technical workshop and once at a Principals’ Meeting during the International Astronautical Congress (IAC). Virtual sessions are added throughout the year to support implementation.
As a result, participating countries have advanced agreed-upon recommendations on noninterference, interoperability, scientific data sharing, and registration practices.
Two major workshops in 2026 further strengthened technical alignment. Signatories reviewed their planned lunar landings and orbital missions and took part in hands‑on sessions focused on open science and practical tools for sharing lunar data. Experts from dozens of countries worked through real-world examples of how to make mission information easier to find, use, and share, from releasing lunar science data to adopting common standards that reduce interference between missions.
The 2026 Artemis Accords Principals’ Meeting at IAC in Antalya, Türkiye, beginning Monday 5 October, will be co-chaired by NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson and Major General Roberto Melgar Sheen, director of the Peruvian Space Agency (CONIDA). The meeting will examine ways to support emerging space nations and disseminate lunar debris‑mitigation recommendations.
NASA continues to put the principles of the Artemis Accords into practice. With the creation of the Moon Base, NASA has invited every Artemis Accords signatory to participate in our return to the Moon through scientific payloads, technology demonstrations, CubeSats, and other capabilities.
The United States, led by NASA and the US Department of State, and seven other nations launched the Artemis Accords in 2020 to guide growing global interest in lunar activity. The accords established the first set of practical principles to enhance safety and coordination as nations explore the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Signatories commit to:
- Explore peaceably and transparently
- Render aid to those in need
- Enable access to scientific data
- Ensure activities do not interfere with others
- Preserve historically significant sites and artefacts by developing best practices
More nations are expected to join the Artemis Accords in the months and years ahead as NASA continues working with partners worldwide to secure a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space.
