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<\/a><\/figure>The Republic of Mauritius has officially joined the global coalition committed to responsible space exploration, becoming the newest signatory and seventh African country to join the Artemis Accords. NASA\u2019s Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson contributed video remarks for a signing ceremony on Friday, in the island nation\u2019s city of \u00c9b\u00e8ne.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are honored to welcome Mauritius to the Artemis Accords community and look forward to working together in the years ahead,\u201d said Anderson.\u00a0\u201cTogether, we are creating the foundation for future exploration while ensuring that space\u00a0remains\u00a0peaceful, accessible, and beneficial for all. America\u00a0will\u00a0return to the Moon and\u00a0ignite the Golden Age of exploration and discovery. That work requires capable partners and a shared commitment to responsible exploration.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mauritius\u2019\u00a0Permanent Secretary at the\u00a0Ministry\u00a0of\u00a0Tertiary Education, Science and Research Navindsing\u00a0Jugmohunsing signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of the country. U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Sarah Troutman and U.S. Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires to Mauritius\u00a0Craig\u202fHalbmaier were present to witness the signing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe accession of Mauritius to the Artemis Accords marks a defining chapter in our New Space journey,\u201d said Jugmohunsing. \u201cAs a Small Island Developing State in the Indian Ocean, we are committed to ensuring that space serves humanity by protecting our oceans and coastlines and amplifying the voices of nations like ours. Mauritius stands ready to help shape the future of space governance while unlocking new opportunities for innovation and partnership.\u201d<\/p>\n
NASA first engaged with Mauritius through its early global mapping efforts, owing to the nation\u2019s strategic location. Between 1965 and 1980, NASA used several satellite missions to collect global measurements of Earth\u2019s size and shape. As part of that work, NASA sent teams to Mauritius and other international tracking stations that supported satellite photography for geodetic analysis. Their observations strengthened the navigation technologies used from Apollo to Artemis and helped lay the foundation for the partnership reaffirmed today by the Artemis Accords.<\/p>\n
In 2020, NASA and the Department of State joined with\u00a0seven\u00a0other\u00a0founding nations to\u00a0establish\u00a0the Artemis Accords, responding to the growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies. They introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at enhancing the safety and coordination\u00a0between like-minded nations as they explore\u00a0the Moon, Mars, and beyond, committing nations to:\u00a0<\/p>\n
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- explore peaceably and transparently\u00a0<\/li>\n
- render aid to those in need\u00a0<\/li>\n
- enable access to scientific data\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n
- ensure activities do not interfere with those of others\u00a0<\/li>\n
- preserve historically significant sites and artifacts by developing best practices\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Five years later, President Donald J. Trump\u2019s National Space Policy directed NASA to\u00a0establish\u00a0a sustained lunar outpost. With this\u00a0Moon Base<\/a>, NASA is putting the principles of the Artemis Accords into practice, inviting every signatory including now Mauritius to take part in the endeavor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
More countries are expected to sign the Artemis Accords in the months and years ahead, as NASA continues its work to\u00a0establish\u00a0a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Learn more about the Artemis Accords at:\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n