NASA welcomes Colombia to Artemis Accords; 'path to Moon enhanced with int'l partnerships'

The Republic of Colombia became the newest country to join NASA's Artemis Accords, which guide space exploration cooperation among nations. Colombia was officially added to the growing list of countries after the signing ceremony attended by Colombia's Vice President and Foreign Minister Marta Lucía Ramírez and NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. So far, 19 countries have joined the Artemis Accords and Colombia is the third Latin American country on the list after Brazil and Mexico.

Speaking at the induction event earlier today, Ramírez said in an official statement, "It is a substantial stepping stone for my country as we continue to develop our knowledge, national capacity, and understanding of the importance of space for future generations of Colombians to come."

Welcoming Colombia as the newest nation in the group, Melroy said, "Our efforts to create a sustainable presence at the Moon and later Mars requires the partnership and expertise of a diverse and robust cadre of nations that embrace peaceful exploration of space. We look forward to our future collaborations with Colombia as the world explores together". She also said that the moment is significant as both the nations are celebrating the 200th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. 

What are the Artemis Accords?

In 2020, NASA announced the establishment of the Artemis Accords in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State to reinforce and implement the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. This treaty basically said that the exploration of outer space should be conducted in the interest of humanity and it should be easily accessible to all nations without any discrimination.

"They (Artemis Accords) also reinforce the commitment by the United States and partner nations to the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices and norms of responsible behavior (sic) that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data," NASA said in a statement. 

The Artemis programme

The Artemis programme has been designed by NASA to take humans back to the Moon after five decades and establish a long-term presence on the lunar surface this time. The Artemis missions, which begin this year, will see the first woman land on the Moon and would also encourage nations to take the next giant leap- sending humans to Mars.

Notably, the first Artemis mission will be an uncrewed one and will be followed by the Artemis II wherein the astronauts will launch to the Moon just to orbit it. It will be under the Artemis III mission, when humans would step foot on the lunar surface, possibly by 2025.