Germany has officially joined the ranks of nations signing the Artemis Accords, marking its position as the 29th nation to pledge commitment to the principles of peaceful space cooperation.
The signing ceremony, presided over by German Ambassador to the United States Andreas Michaelis, witnessed Dr. Walther Pelzer, Director General of the German Aerospace Center, sign the Artemis Accords on behalf of Germany.
Notable figures, including Acting Assistant Secretary of State Jennifer Littlejohn, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, Executive Secretary of the U.S. National Space Council Chirag Parikh, and Federal German Coordinator of German Aerospace Policy Dr. Anna Christmann, delivered remarks at the event.
The Artemis Accords, introduced on October 13, 2020, with the initial participation of eight nations, are a collaborative effort led by the Department of State and NASA in the United States.
These accords are firmly rooted in the principles outlined in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. With Germany’s addition, the list of signatories has expanded to include 29 nations.
The current signatories are: Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
This diverse group of signatories reflects a growing multilateral dialogue and shares a common vision of fostering peaceful cooperation in space activities.
Germany’s endorsement of the Accords signifies its commitment to fundamental principles such as transparency, emergency assistance, and the sharing of scientific data in space-related endeavours.
The United States and Germany have a well-established partnership in civil space ventures, spanning aeronautics research, scientific endeavours, and exploration.
Through their joint support for the Artemis Accords, both nations reaffirm their shared understanding and approach to ensuring the safe and sustainable exploration and utilisation of outer space.