Space

4–5 minutes

WASHINGTON — Latvia has signed the Artemis Accords, which outline norms of behavior for safe space exploration, joining a group of now 60 countries.

In an Oct. 31 statement on a government-affiliated website, the Latvian government announced the country joined the Accords as part of efforts to raise its profile in the space sector.

“Latvia’s accession to the Artemis Accords is a significant step toward our more active participation in the global space community. We are proud to become part of a group of nations committed to exploring and using space responsibly and sustainably,” Dace Melbārde, Latvia’s minister for education and science, said in the statement.

Latvia formally agreed to join the Accords at an Oct. 7 meeting of the country’s Cabinet of Ministers, a decision that was not widely reported outside Latvia at the time.

The Accords, which recently marked their fifth anniversary, outline best practices for space activities, building on the Outer Space Treaty and other international agreements. They cover topics such as interoperability, transparency, use of space resources and deconfliction of space activities to avoid harmful interference.

Latvia formally joined the 1967 Outer Space Treaty only in May, a year after becoming a member of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, or COPUOS. Signing the Accords, the government stated, is part of efforts to further engage internationally in space activities.

“By signing the Artemis Accords, Latvia becomes part of a broader international cooperation aimed at ensuring peaceful and responsible space exploration, as well as reaffirming Latvia’s commitment to close cooperation with NASA and countries that actively advocate for sustainable space use (e.g., the United States, Japan, Australia),” according to a translated Latvian government document about the Accords.

“By joining the agreement, Latvia would gain the opportunity to strengthen its visibility in the international space cooperation network and create additional opportunities and favorable conditions for the development of Latvian industry and scientific institutes,” the document added.

Latvia is one of three countries that are currently associate members of the European Space Agency, along with Lithuania and Slovakia. Cyprus signed an agreement Oct. 23 to become an associate member in the coming months. Associate membership allows countries to participate in optional ESA programs.

Latvia is also a member of the European Union and noted in its statement that joining the Artemis Accords aligns with the EU’s proposed Space Act.

Latvia is one of four countries that joined the Accords in October. Hungary signed Oct. 22, while Malaysia and the Philippines signed Oct. 26. Eight countries have joined so far this year, bringing the total to 60.

The recent signings received little publicity from NASA or the U.S. State Department because of the federal government shutdown that began Oct. 1.

3–4 minutes

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Malaysia and the Philippines have signed the Artemis Accords, which outline norms of behavior for space exploration.

The White House announced the signings in an Oct. 26 fact sheet about President Trump’s visit to Malaysia.

“Maintaining a long tradition of U.S. leadership in space, the Philippines and Malaysia committed to principles of safe and transparent space exploration by signing the Artemis Accords,” the fact sheet said.

That document, along with a social media post by the U.S. State Department, were the only public statements about the signings. The ongoing federal government shutdown, now nearly four weeks long, has limited the ability of NASA and the State Department to promote events such as the signings.

The foreign ministries of both Malaysia and the Philippines did not immediately release statements about the agreements.

With Malaysia and the Philippines joining, 59 nations have now signed the Artemis Accords, including seven this year and three this month, after Hungary signed Oct. 22.

The Accords were introduced five years ago this month, when eight nations, including the United States, became the first signatories. The document outlines best practices to promote safe and sustainable space exploration, covering areas such as transparency, the sharing of scientific data, responsible use of space resources, and the establishment of “safety zones” to prevent harmful interference.

Representatives of 39 signatory nations met last month during the International Astronautical Congress to discuss progress on implementing provisions of the Accords, including noninterference, data sharing, and limiting lunar orbital debris.

Another key topic was encouraging more countries to join. “Some members are trying to find their value add for the Accords,” said Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, a United Arab Emirates government minister who chairs the board of the UAE Space Agency, during a press conference after the meeting.

He said an upcoming workshop in Peru will focus on ensuring all signatories can actively participate in discussions. “We want to have a very well-defined way that enables these countries to contribute,” he said.