Artemis Accords set guidelines for lunar exploration

The Artemis Accords are nonbinding principles created in 2020 by NASA and the U.S. State Department to guide civil space exploration. They focus largely on lunar activities and have been signed by 74 countries as of late September 2026, though Russia and China have not joined. The accords build on the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and address cooperation and resource questions.

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The Artemis Accords emerged in 2020 from work by NASA and the U.S. State Department, together with international partners. They are voluntary principles meant to shape civil space activity, especially on and around the moon. By late September 2026, 74 nations had signed; Russia and China had not. The framework rests on the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and covers topics such as peaceful use, transparency, interoperability, emergency aid, object registration, scientific data sharing, heritage protection, space resources, activity deconfliction and orbital debris.

Specific provisions include safeguarding historic lunar sites like Apollo landing areas and allowing resource use—such as lunar water or asteroid materials—when consistent with international law. If countries operate near each other on the moon, they are encouraged to exchange information and coordinate to prevent harmful interference, using temporary safety zones without asserting territorial ownership. The accords do not replace existing space law or create binding international law; they offer shared practices. NASA's Artemis program aims to return humans to the lunar surface in early 2028.

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