BriefingWhat are the Artemis Accords?
The Artemis Accords are a set of non-binding principles for the civil exploration and use of the Moon, Mars, comets, and asteroids. NASA and the U.S. Department of State drafted them, and eight nations signed the first version on October 13, 2020: Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The Accords build on the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and turn its obligations into practical commitments: peaceful purposes, transparency, interoperability, emergency assistance, registration of space objects, open release of scientific data, protection of historic sites, responsible use of space resources, deconfliction of activities, and limiting orbital debris. Any nation can sign. As of October 20, 2026, 78 have.
Read each principle explained · See every signing in order · Official text (PDF) ↗