NASA launched the Artemis Accords before its plans to establish a human base on the Moon and a lunar-orbiting space station through the Artemis programme.
Bahrain has become the latest nation to sign the Artemis Accords, which embrace a common set of principles to guide cooperation among nations participating in NASAs Artemis programme.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said: “I am so pleased to see Bahrain has shown its commitment to the peaceful exploration of space by signing the Artemis Accords. This important decision by Bahrain follows the recent successful launch of the Light-1 spacecraft, developed by Bahrains National Space Science Agency (NSSA) in cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), another Artemis Accords signatory.”
NSSA CEO Dr Mohamed Al Aseeri signed the Artemis Accords for the Kingdom of Bahrain. The signing was discussed as part of a joint statement following the US-Bahrain Strategic Dialogue between Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain. Vice President Kamala Harris also announced Bahrains signing of the Artemis Accords during a joint news conference on March 4 with the crown prince.
Bahrain joins 16 other countries that have already signed the Artemis Accords and is the third country in the Middle East to sign, following the UAE and Israel. It is also the eighth country to sign the Artemis Accords under the Biden-Harris Administration.
NASA, in coordination with the US Department of State, announced the establishment of the Artemis Accords in 2020. The Artemis Accords reinforce and implement the 1967 Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and other Celestial Bodies, otherwise known as the Outer Space Treaty.
Additional countries will join the Artemis Accords in the months and years ahead, as NASA continues to work with its international partners to establish a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space. Working with both new and existing partners will add new energy and capabilities to ensure the entire world can benefit from our journey of exploration and discovery.
