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So far 21 countries have signed the Artemis Accords. The contract was drawn up to deal with the practical and legal challenges of a return by humans to the moon.

The Artemis Program aims to send crewed missions to the moon by 2024. And to establish a manned lunar base by 2030.

The treaty was developed during the Trump administration in May 2020. The US developed and signed the Artemis Accords. And the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, Canada, Japan, Luxembourg, and the United Arab Emirates were the initial signers. Ukraine signed the contract days later.

The Artemis Accords codify the key principles and guidelines for future exploration and colonization of the Moon. As much as possible the outline of operating principles and international collaboration is detailed in the space law contract. 

In 2021, South Korea, New Zealand, Brazil, Poland, Dubai, and Mexico signed. And this year Israel, Romania, Bahrain, Singapore, Columbia, and Saudi Arabia signed. France also signed in June 2022. Since France is the largest contributor to the European Space Agency its signature is important.  

Both India and Germany have also expressed interest in joining the venture. And Russia and China are both opposed.

Terms of Artemis Accords

The Artemis Program plans on building a permanent outpost on the Moon’s surface (Moon Base Camp). And also developing an orbital station (Lunar Gateway). And part of the mission is to potentially start mining the moon.

The project will require a significant investment of money and collaboration of resources.  NASA has a vision that the Artemis Project will be an international collaboration of countries along with private commercial partners. 

The US developed the agreement and a set of operating guidelines.

 Any nation that wants to join the NASA-led project must commit, in advance, that it understands and agrees to the ideas incorporated in the Artemis Accords.

With the release of images from the James Webb Space Telescope the Moon seems closer than ever. And NASA wants to make sure that as many countries as possible participate.