NASA to cover Czech Republic's Artemis Accords signing scheduled to be held next month

The Czech Republic is set to sign the Artemis Accords during a ceremony at NASA Headquarters, the US space agency said in an official statement on Thursday. The accord will be signed in Washington on May 3, NASA said, adding that "the agency will provide live coverage of the signing ceremony starting at 10 am EDT on NASA Television, the NASA app, and on the agency’s official website".

According to the official statement, "NASA Administrator Bill Nelson will participate in the signing ceremony for the agency, and Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsk will sign on behalf of the Czech Republic. Acting Assistant Secretary Jennifer R. Littlejohn and Czech Ambassador to the United States Miloslav Staek will also take part in the ceremony."

Also, a practical set of principles to guide space exploration co-operation among nations has been established for the signing of the Artemis Accords, which will include those participating in NASA’s Artemis programme.

About Artemis Accords

In 2020, the US space agency, in co-ordination with the US Department of State, announced the establishment of the Artemis Accords along with the original signatories. The Accords aim to reinforce and implement the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, per the official statement released by NASA. "NASA, in co-ordination with the U.S. Department of State, announced the establishment of the Artemis Accords in 2020 along with the original signatories. The Artemis Accords reinforce and implement the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. They also reinforce the commitment by the United States and partner nations to the Registration Convention and the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as the best practises and norms of responsible behaviour that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data," per the official statement released by NASA.

What is the Aim of Artemis Accords? Who all are going to 

"Through Artemis, NASA aims to land the first woman and first person of colour on the Moon, heralding a new era for space exploration and utilisation," per the American space agency.

"While NASA is leading the Artemis missions, international partnerships will play a key role in achieving a sustainable and robust presence on the Moon while preparing to conduct a historic human mission to Mars," read the official statement on NASA's official website.

"With numerous countries and private sector players conducting missions and operations in cislunar space, it’s critical to establish a common set of principles to govern the civil exploration and use of outer space. The Artemis Accords will describe a shared vision for principles, grounded in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, to create a safe and transparent environment that facilitates exploration, science, and commercial activities for all of humanity to enjoy," it added.

(Image: www.nasa.gov)