The Moon and Mars are the big topics of exploration in the next few years. The USA is preparing the next steps towards the Moon and Mars with its Artemis program.
In order to become part of this important period in space history, the DLR Board of Directors and Director General of the German Space Agency signed on September 14, 2023 at 7:41 p.m. local time (September 15, 2023 1:41 a.m. CEST) at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) , Dr. Walther Pelzer, the Artemis Accords for Germany in the residence of the German Ambassador in Washington DC.
He was supported by NASA– Administrator Bill Nelson and the deputy NASA administrator Pam Melroy, the executive secretary of the National Space Council of the USA Chirag Parikh, the federal government coordinator for German aerospace in the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, Dr. Anna Christmann, and the German ambassador to the USA, Andreas Michaelis.
The Federal Republic has thus joined this initiative led by the United States, which now includes 29 states. The Artemis Accords formulate principles for cooperation in civil space exploration and the use of the Moon, Mars, comets and asteroids for peaceful purposes.
“Germany and the United States have been successful partners in space travel for a long time. German companies from the space sector are already making a central contribution to the Artemis program.
The German signing of the Artemis Accords gives new impetus to the joint effort to carry out space exploration programs. The Artemis Accords therefore offer a wealth of new opportunities for industry and scientific research in Germany – and ultimately throughout Europe,” explained Dr. Walther Pelzer on the occasion of the signing in Washington.
“I am very pleased to welcome Germany to the Artemis Accords family,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Germany has long been one of NASA’s closest and most capable international partners. Today’s signing shows that Germany is playing a leading role now and in the future – a future marked by limitless possibilities in space and the promise of goodwill here on Earth.”
Long history of successful international collaborations
Germany looks back on a long history of successful international cooperation in science and space research for peaceful purposes – both within the framework of the European Space Agency ESA and beyond with its international partners. In the spirit of this ongoing collaboration, the signing of the Artemis Accords by the German Space Agency at DLR strengthens the common goal of DLR and its international partners to pursue programs for astronautical and robotic space exploration.
Political foundation for the peaceful exploration of space
This declaration of principles lays the political foundation for the peaceful, responsible and sustainable exploration of space within the framework of the Artemis program .
In particular, it reaffirms the importance of the universal framework established by the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and the commitment to establishing international rules and regulations in accordance with international law through a comprehensive multilateral approach.
Germany will continue to participate in the UN Space Committee COPUOS, the central forum for the further development of space law, to develop a binding international legal framework for activities on celestial bodies based on the UN space treaties. The German signing of the Artemis Accords both expands and deepens these close partnerships in space travel.
Part of the Artemis Accords is therefore also the exchange of ideas between the Artemis partners in order to strengthen the application of the UN space treaties in connection with activities on celestial bodies. This new partnership further advances Germany’s space diplomacy efforts, which are based heavily on promoting international cooperation in civil science and technology with all spacefaring nations.