NASA sets stage for international collaboration through 'Artemis Accords'

NASA made the major announcement on May 15 by setting the stage for nations across the world for collaboration to the land first female and the next man on the moon in 2024 called the Artemis Accords. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine declared the mission as “new dawn” for exploration of space by establishing a shared vision to set the guidelines for the international partners that would mark the human race on Moon. This accord would seek to establish “safety zones” that would surround the future of bases on the moon to prevent “harmful interference” from the countries or companies against the cooperation. 

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Long-term presence on lunar surface

The deals among the companies and countries are an essential part of US National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Artemis program to plan and build a long-term presence on the lunar surface. The organisation would also permit the companies to own Moon’s resources that would be mined during the operation which remains crucial as NASA contractors would convert the lunar surface’s water ice for rocket fuel or mine other minerals for the construction of landing pads. 

NASA Administrator told an international news agency that the scientists at NASA are ‘implementing the Outer Space Treaty with the Artemis Accords’ and referred to a 1967 international pact that lays stress on the fact that space should be used for peaceful purposes rather than military use. He also briefed that through Artemis Accords, NASA hopes that the future would look a lot more like “Star Trek and a lot less like Star Wars” by getting ahead of the issues that stop that. 

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Image Source: Unsplash/Representative