52991313424_e26822b08a_o.jpg From left to right, Ecuador Minster of Production, Foreign Trade, Investments and Fisheries Julio José Prado, Ambassador of Ecuador to the United States Ivonne A-Baki, Ecuador Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility Gustavo Manrique Miranda, U.S. Department of State Director of the Office of Space Affairs Valda Vikmanis Keller, and NASA Associate Administrator for International and Interagency Relations Karen Feldstein, pose for a photo during an Artemis Accords signing ceremony, Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at the Embassy of Ecuador in Washington. Ecuador is the twenty sixth country to sign the Artemis Accords, which establish a practical set of principles to guide space exploration cooperation among nations participating in NASA’s Artemis program. Credits: NASA/Keegan Barber

During a ceremony at the Ecuador embassy in Washington on Wednesday, Ecuador became the 26th country to sign the Artemis Accords. Karen Feldstein, NASA associate administrator for International and Interagency Relations, participated in the signing ceremony for the agency, and Gustavo Manrique Miranda, Ecuador’s foreign affairs minister, signed on behalf of Ecuador.

“Today, Ecuador joins the group of nations committed to safeguarding outer space for the future,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “The achievements made in in this golden era of exploration will benefit the Artemis Generation – in our nations and around the globe.”

The Artemis Accords establish a practical set of principles to guide space exploration cooperation among nations, including those participating in NASA’s Artemis program.

“Signing the Artemis Accords sends a powerful message to the international community that the Ecuadorian government is committed to pursue cutting-edge efforts in technology and is open to innovation, investment, workforce development to promote sustainable growth, and international collaboration to help solve humanity’s greatest challenges,” said Ivonne Baki, Ecuador's ambassador to the United States.

NASA, in coordination with the U.S. Department of State, established the Artemis Accords in 2020 together with seven other founding member nations.

The Artemis Accords reinforce and implement key obligations in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. They also reinforce the commitment by the United States and signatory nations to the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices and norms of responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data.

“Ecuador today adds its voice to a diverse and growing set of nations committed to the notion that humanity’s rapid expansion into space, toward the Moon and destinations beyond, is peaceful, safe, and in full accordance with international law,” said Feldstein.

Additional countries will sign 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.

Learn more about the Artemis Accords at:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemisaccords

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