Switzerland becomes the 37th nation to sign the Artemis Accords at NASA Headquarters.

Switzerland has officially joined the Artemis Accords, signing the agreement at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., symbolising its commitment to collaborative and sustainable space exploration according to reports from NASA.

The ceremony took place on April 15, 2024, with Swiss Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson leading the event.

The Artemis Accords, developed by NASA and the U.S. Department of State, aim to extend the principles of the historic 1968 Outer Space Treaty. They emphasise transparency, cooperation, astronaut rescue, and scientific data sharing. According to the page on the accords.

During the signing, Parmelin highlighted Switzerland’s long-standing contributions to space and Earth sciences. Nelson welcomed Switzerland into the Artemis family.

The Artemis program, spearheaded by NASA, aims not only to return humans to the Moon but also to include international partners in pioneering scientific discoveries and lunar exploration.

This initiative sets the stage for the next leaps in space travel, including potential manned missions to Mars.