On October 13, 2024, Estonia officially signed the Artemis Accords in Milan, Italy, becoming the 45th country to join this international agreement focused on sustainable space exploration. U.S. officials, including NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Rahima Kandahari, were present to celebrate this milestone in space diplomacy. The Artemis Accords, established in 2020 by the United States and seven other nations, aim to promote cooperative and responsible behavior in space activities. Estonia’s participation further enhances global collaboration in ensuring the sustainable use of outer space, joining a diverse coalition of countries committed to these essential principles. For more details on the Artemis Accords, visit the official site.
United States Welcomes Estonia’s Signing of the Artemis Accords
Estonia became the 45th signatory to the Artemis Accords in Milan, Italy on October 13. The United States welcomes Estonia into the Artemis Accords as we strengthen our collaboration to ensure the sustainable use of space.
Errki Keldo, Minister of Economy and Industry in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications (MEAC), signed on behalf of Estonia in the presence of MEAC Director of EU and International Affairs Silver Tammik, MEAC Head of Space Policy Paul Liias, Estonian Ambassador to Italy Lauri Bambus, President of the Canadian Space Agency Lisa Campbell, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Rahima Kandahari, and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.
The Artemis Accords were established in 2020 by the United States and seven other countries. They set out a practical set of principles to guide space exploration. Estonia joins 44 other nations – Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Peru, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uruguay – in affirming the Accords’ principles for sustainable civil space activity. The Department of State and NASA lead the United States’ outreach and implementation of the Accords.
For more information, please visit Artemis Accords. For media inquiries, please contact OES-Press@state.gov.
October 15, 2024 Washington, DC Office of the Spokesperson
Sources: State.gov, Midtown Tribune