Why in News?
Türkiye signed the Artemis Accords on 31 August 2026, becoming the 71st country to join the agreement that lays down common principles for safe, peaceful and sustainable exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond.
The agreement was signed at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. by Türkiye’s Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır in the presence of NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and Turkish Space Agency President Yusuf Kıraç.
What are the Artemis Accords?
- The Artemis Accords were established in 2020 by NASA, the U.S. Department of State and seven founding countries.
- They provide a set of non-binding principles and best practices for responsible civil space exploration and reinforce existing international space law, particularly the Outer Space Treaty.
Key Principles
- Peaceful exploration: Space activities should be carried out for peaceful purposes.
- Transparency: Countries should openly share their space policies and plans.
- Interoperability: Space systems should follow common standards to improve safety and cooperation.
- Emergency assistance: Signatories should assist astronauts in distress.
- Registration of space objects: Countries should properly register space objects and coordinate their activities.
- Scientific data sharing: Scientific findings from missions should be shared openly.
- Preservation of space heritage: Historically significant sites and artefacts, such as Apollo landing sites, should be protected.
- Space resources: Extraction and use of resources from the Moon, Mars and asteroids should be conducted responsibly and consistently with international law.
- Deconfliction: Countries should coordinate their activities to prevent harmful interference in space.
Türkiye’s Space Programme
- Alper Gezeravcı became Türkiye’s first astronaut in 2024, travelling to the International Space Station (ISS) through Axiom Mission 3.
- Tuva Atasever became the second Turkish astronaut, flying on Virgin Galactic 07 in 2024.
- Türkiye is preparing its first lunar mission, AYAP-1 (Ay Mission-1).
- Türkiye is also scheduled to host the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Antalya in October 2026.
India and Artemis Accords
- India signed the Artemis Accords in 2023, becoming the 27th signatory at the time.
- India’s participation is significant for cooperation in lunar exploration, space science, technology and the emerging lunar economy.