Ecuador Signs The Artemis Accords

Ecuador has become the 26th country and the fourth in Latin America to sign the Artemis Accords, a framework for safe and sustainable space exploration.

The signing ceremony took place at Ecuador's embassy in Washington, with Gustavo Manrique Miranda, Ecuador's foreign affairs minister, signing the accords in the presence of U.S. State Department and NASA officials. Ecuador's participation signifies its commitment to technological advancement, innovation, investment, workforce development, and international collaboration for solving global challenges. Although Ecuador's space presence is limited, it has a space agency established in 2007, and the company Leviathan Space Industries is working on establishing a spaceport in the country.

The Artemis Accords aim to attract countries beyond the traditional space players and foster diversity among the signatories. One working group, led by Brazil and Poland, is focused on addressing obstacles and attracting emerging space nations. The Accords, closely linked to NASA's Artemis lunar exploration campaign, provide guiding principles based on the Outer Space Treaty, ensuring peaceful and law-abiding space activities. Signing the accords does not obligate countries to participate in the Artemis program, but rather establishes a foundation for cooperation and best practices.

The current signatories of the Artemis Accords include:

1. Australia

2. Brazil

3. Canada

4. Italy

5. Japan

6. Luxembourg

7. Mexico

8. New Zealand

9. Poland

10. South Korea

11. Ukraine

12. United Arab Emirates

13. United Kingdom

14. United States

15. Argentina

16. Chile

17. Czech Republic

18. Hungary

19. Luxembourg

20. Portugal

21. Peru

22. Rwanda

23. Sierra Leone

24. South Africa

25. Egypt

26. Ecuador

The Accords continue to encourage international cooperation, with ongoing discussions and efforts to address unresolved issues and pave the way for future developments in space exploration and resource utilization.