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Sweden Joins NASA’s Artemis Accords
Sweden has recently become the latest country to sign onto NASA’s Artemis Accords, a significant step towards peaceful and responsible exploration of outer space. The signing ceremony took place in Stockholm, where Swedish Minister for Education Mats Persson, and U.S. Ambassador Erik D. Ramanathan penned the agreement.
In a statement, Minister Persson highlighted the importance of Sweden’s participation in the Artemis Accords, emphasizing the strengthening of the strategic space partnership with the U.S. This partnership covers various areas such as Swedish space research and the space industry, ultimately enhancing Sweden’s overall defense capabilities.
The signing event in Stockholm follows Switzerland’s recent involvement in the Artemis Accords, with other nations like Greece and Uruguay also signing earlier this year. Sweden now stands as the 38th country to join the accords, initially established in 2020 as preparations for the first Artemis moon launch progressed.
The principles outlined in the Artemis Accords are in line with regulations established in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, focusing on fostering international cooperation in space exploration. NASA views the agreement as a framework for its Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the moon, marking a significant milestone since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
Speaking on behalf of NASA, administrator Bill Nelson extended a warm welcome to Sweden, acknowledging the shared values and principles that underpin the collaboration between the U.S. and Sweden in space exploration. Nelson emphasized the commitment to exploring the cosmos openly, transparently, responsibly, and peacefully.
NASA’s ambitious plans include a return to the moon with the Artemis 2 mission scheduled for no earlier than 2025, involving a mission to orbit the moon with four astronauts. Subsequently, in the following year, the Artemis 3 mission aims to land a crew of four astronauts on the lunar surface, marking a historic moment in humanity’s space exploration efforts.
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