Germany signs the Artemis Accords

Germany signs the Artemis Accords
by Staff Writers
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Sep 19, 2023

The Moon and Mars are the next big topics for exploration in the coming years. The USA is preparing the next steps towards the Moon and Mars with its Artemis programme. In order to become part of this important stage in space history, on 14 September 2023, Member of the DLR Executive Board and Director General of the German Space Agency at the German Aerospace Center, Walther Pelzer signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of Germany at the German Ambassador's Residence in Washington D.C.

He was accompanied by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, Executive Secretary of the U.S. National Space Council Chirag Parikh, the German Federal Government Coordinator of German Aerospace Policy at the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Anna Christmann, and the German Ambassador to the USA, Andreas Michaelis.

The Federal Republic of Germany has thus become the 29th signatory to this initiative, which is being led by the United States. The Artemis Accords formulate principles for cooperation in the civilian exploration and use of the Moon, Mars, comets and asteroids for peaceful purposes.

"Germany and the United States have been successful partners in space for a long time. For example, German companies in the space sector are already central contributing to the Artemis programme. The German signing of the Artemis Accords gives a further boost to this joint endeavour to carry out programmes for the exploration of space. Thus, the Artemis Accords offer a multitude of new opportunities for industry and scientific research in Germany - and ultimately also across Europe," explained Walther Pelzer on the occasion of the signing in Washington.

Long history of successful international cooperation
"I'm thrilled to welcome Germany to the Artemis Accords family!" said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "Germany has long been one of NASA's closest and most capable international partners, and their signing demonstrates their leadership now and into the future - a future defined by limitless possibilities in space and the promise of goodwill here on Earth."

Political foundation for the peaceful exploration of space
Germany has a long history of successful international cooperation in scientific research and space exploration for peaceful purposes - both as a member of the European Space Agency (ESA) and more widely with its other international partners. In the spirit of this ongoing cooperation, the signing of the Artemis Accords by the German Space Agency at DLR strengthens the common goal of DLR and its international partners to pursue programmes for crewed and robotic exploration of space.

The declaration of principles lays the political foundation for the peaceful, responsible and sustainable exploration of space within the framework of the Artemis programme. In particular, it reaffirms the importance of the universal framework established by the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 and the commitment to establish international rules and regulations in accordance with international law through a comprehensive multilateral approach.

Germany will continue to advocate for the development of a binding international legal framework for activities on celestial bodies based on the United Nations (UN) Outer Space Treaties in the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), the central forum for the further development of international space law.

The German signature of the Artemis Accords extends and deepens these close partnerships in space. Participation in the Artemis Accords therefore includes an exchange of ideas between the Artemis partners to strengthen the application of the UN Space Treaties in the context of activities on celestial bodies. This new partnership further advances Germany's efforts in space diplomacy, which is strongly based on promoting international cooperation in civilian science and technology with all spacefaring nations.