WASHINGTON, April 16,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, April 16, NASA welcomed Sweden as the 38th country to sign the Artemis
Accords and commit to peaceful and safe space exploration. Minister
for Education Dr. Mats Persson
signed the accords on behalf of Sweden at an event in Stockholm.
"NASA welcomes Sweden to the
Artemis Accords family," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "Our nations have worked together
to discover new secrets in our Solar System, and now, we welcome
you to a global coalition that is committed to exploring the
heavens openly, transparently, responsibly, and in peace.
The United States and Sweden share the same bedrock principles, and
we're excited to expand these principles to the cosmos."
Sweden affirmed its dedication
to the sustainable use of space at the Swedish Government Offices.
Participants included Persson and Ambassador Erik D. Ramanathan, the U.S. ambassador to
Sweden, who gave remarks welcoming
Sweden to the Accords family.
Pre-recorded remarks by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson played during the ceremony as
well.
"Sweden has an advanced space
sector, and the societal benefits of space research and activities
have grown in importance," said Persson. "By joining the Artemis
Accords, Sweden strengthens its
strategic space partnership with the U.S. on space covering areas
such as Swedish space research and the space industry, which in
turn also strengthens Sweden's
total defense capability."
The Artemis Accords are a set of principles to guide the next
phase in space exploration, announced by NASA and the U.S.
Department of State in 2020. The Accords provide important
implementation of key obligations from the 1967 Outer Space Treaty
and reinforce the commitment by the
United States and signatory nations to the Registration
Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best
practices of responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have
supported, including the public release of scientific data.
Additional countries will sign the Artemis Accords in the
future, as the United States
continues to work with international partners to establish a safe,
peaceful, and prosperous future in space.
Learn more about the Artemis Accords at:
https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords
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SOURCE NASA