The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Saturday welcomed India and Ecuador to the Artemis Accord - the US-led programme to land human beings on the Moon. The US will fly Indian astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2024.
India Joins Artemis Accord
On June 21, India joined as the 27th nation to endorse the Artemis Accords at a function held at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington. Bill Nelson, the Administrator of NASA, took part in the signing ceremony representing the agency, whilst India's ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, signed in representation of India.
What is Artemis Accord?
The Artemis Accords is an international agreement spearheaded by NASA, the United States' space agency. It represents a non-binding agreement between the United States government and other global governments involved in the Artemis program. This program aims to return humans to the Moon by 2025 and expand space exploration to Mars and beyond. As of June 23, 2023, 27 countries and one territory have endorsed the accords.
The Accords originated from the Artemis Program, which was launched by the United States in 2017 with the goal of sending the first woman and the next man to the Moon by 2024. Governments that sign the Accords become eligible to participate formally in the Artemis Program.
Principles of the Artemis Accords:
Transparency: All Artemis partners agree to share data and information about their activities in space.
Safety: All Artemis partners agree to take steps to ensure the safety of their astronauts and spacecraft.
Resilience: All Artemis partners agree to work together to ensure that the Artemis program is resilient to disruptions.
Sustainability: All Artemis partners agree to use space resources in a sustainable way.
Peaceful purposes: All Artemis partners agree to use space for peaceful purposes only.
How Artemis Program Could Benefit India?
Here are a few ways the Artemis program could benefit India:
Technological Collaboration: Participation in the Artemis program would offer opportunities for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and technology transfer between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and NASA.
Scientific Research: India's participation would provide its scientists and researchers with access to lunar samples and data, enabling them to contribute to scientific discoveries related to the Moon's geology, resources, and potential for future human settlements.
Space Industry Growth: Involvement in the development of technologies, such as lunar landers, habitats, and rovers, could enhance India's capabilities and competitiveness in the global space sector.
International Relations: Enhanced international relations could bring diplomatic, economic, and strategic advantages to India.
Inspiring the Next Generation: Involvement in the Artemis program would inspire and motivate Indian students and aspiring scientists to pursue careers in space exploration and related fields.
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