WASHINGTON, May 15, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- A milestone was reached on Wednesday as
Lithuania became the 40th nation
to join NASA and the international coalition in pursuit of safer
space exploration by signing the Artemis Accords. The ceremony took
place at the Radisson Blu Lietuva hotel in Vilnius, Lithuania, and signifies a continued
push toward transparency and peace as more nations traverse farther
into space.
"Welcome to the Artemis Accords family, Lithuania," said NASA Administrator
Bill Nelson. "Our nations are strong
partners – and now we expand this partnership to the cosmos. In
just four years, a remarkable 40 countries have signed the Artemis
Accords. Together, as a global coalition, we will explore the stars
openly, responsibly, and in peace."
United States Ambassador
Kara C. McDonald attended the
ceremony to speak on behalf of the U.S., and Aušrinė Armonaitė,
Lithuanian Minister of Economy and Innovation, signed the
Accords.
"The Lithuanian space sector has been growing steadily, with our
innovative companies working in this field making significant
strides," Armonaitė said. "The Artemis Accords mark a new chapter
and chart a course for future space exploration, underscoring our
commitment to a responsible, sustainable, and cooperative presence
in space."
Remarks from NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy also played before the signing.
"Today is a pivotal day for Lithuania," Melroy said. "We are living in the
golden age of space. The days of one nation exploring the cosmos
alone are gone. Today, we go together, and we go with international
partners."
The Artemis Accords align with NASA's Artemis campaign, that
will send astronauts including the first woman, first person of
color, and its first international partner astronaut to explore the
Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the
foundation for crewed missions to Mars.
NASA, along with the Department of State and seven other
nations, established the Artemis Accords in 2020 to lay out a set
of principles grounded in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 and three
related space treaties. With the commitment of now 40 nations, the
accords community will facilitate a long-term and peaceful presence
of deep space exploration for the benefit of humanity.
To learn more about the Artemis Accords, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords/
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SOURCE NASA