Ukraine has become the ninth participant of the Artemis program aimed at the exploration and development of the Moon, Mars, comets, and asteroids. This is reported by the press office of the State Space Agency of Ukraine.

“Ukraine has all the scientific and technical capabilities and experience allowing the country to become one of the weighty partners of NASA during the implementation of the Artemis program,” the report says.

Previously, on October 15, the agreement was signed by the following eight countries: the USA, Great Britain, Italy, Canada, Australia, Japan, United Arab Emirates, and Luxembourg.

“This is important for Ukraine because we will be able to implement our own projects in partnership with the world’s leading space agencies… Also, I am convinced that the agreements will give a new impetus to unite countries in establishing multilateral consultations in the context of the development of international space law,” said Volodymyr Usov, the Head of the State Space Agency of Ukraine.

The signing of the agreement contributes to the growing cooperation between Ukraine and the US in other areas of space activities as well, the release says. In particular, to the resumption of the dialog between the two countries within the scope of the Ukrainian-American working group for the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, established back in 2016.

The countries undertake to observe the following principles of the Artemis Accords:

  • Peaceful Exploration: All activities conducted under the Artemis program must be for peaceful purposes
  • Transparency: Artemis Accords signatories will conduct their activities in a transparent fashion to avoid confusion and conflicts
  • Interoperability: Nations participating in the Artemis program will strive to support interoperable systems to enhance safety and sustainability
  • Emergency Assistance: Artemis Accords signatories commit to rendering assistance to personnel in distress
  • Registration of Space Objects: Any nation participating in Artemis must be a signatory to the Registration Convention or become a signatory with alacrity
  • Release of Scientific Data: Artemis Accords signatories commit to the public release of scientific information, allowing the whole world to join us on the Artemis journey
  • Preserving Heritage: Artemis Accords signatories commit to preserving outer space heritage
  • Space Resources: Extracting and utilizing space resources is key to safe and sustainable exploration and the Artemis Accords signatories affirm that such activities should be conducted in compliance with the Outer Space Treaty
  • Deconfliction of Activities: The Artemis Accords nations commit to preventing harmful interference and supporting the principle of due regard, as required by the Outer Space Treaty
  • Orbital Debris: Artemis Accords countries commit to planning for the safe disposal of debris.