Albania Signs Artemis Accords as 73rd Country to Join NASA’s Space Exploration Partnership

The Republic of Albania signed the Artemis Accords on Monday during a ceremony hosted by NASA at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Albania is now the 73rd country to join the coalition of nations committed to peaceful, responsible and transparent space exploration.

“We are proud to welcome the Republic of Albania as the 73rd signatory of the Artemis Accords,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson. “The relationship between our nations goes back more than a century, and now we are extending that partnership into space.”

Albania Commits to Peaceful and Cooperative Space Exploration

Ferit Hoxha, Albania’s Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, signed the agreement on behalf of the country. Albania’s Ambassador to the United States, Irvin Bushati, and Assistant Secretary of State for Space and Environment Connor Tomlinson also attended the ceremony.

“It is a great honor for Albania to sign these important Artemis Accords and join the growing community of countries,” Hoxha said during his remarks. “By taking this step, Albania affirms its commitment to peaceful, transparent, sustainable and cooperative space exploration. We do so as a country deeply committed to international law, multilateral cooperation, and the belief that humanity’s greatest achievements are achieved through partnership, not isolation.”

Albania’s Growing Role in Space Activities

Albania has taken steps to expand its use of space-based data. In January 2023, the country launched two dedicated Earth-observation satellites, Albania 1 and Albania 2, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch demonstrated how the United States is supporting Albania’s space capabilities.

Albania has also participated in NASA’s Space Apps Challenge, hosting local events that connected students, engineers and innovators with NASA’s publicly available Earth and space science data. NASA Space Apps is the world’s largest annual global hackathon, bringing together participants from more than 150 countries to use open data from NASA and partner space agencies to develop solutions to real-world challenges and advance space exploration for the benefit of everyone.

What Are the Artemis Accords?

In 2020, NASA and the U.S. State Department joined with seven other founding nations to establish the Artemis Accords in response to growing interest in lunar activities by governments and private industry.

The accords set out practical principles designed to strengthen safety and cooperation among nations exploring destinations such as the Moon and Mars. Signatory countries commit to:

• Exploring peacefully and transparently
• Providing aid to those in need
• Enabling access to scientific data
• Avoiding interference with the activities of others
• Developing best practices to preserve historically significant sites and artifacts

Albania Joins Future Lunar Exploration Efforts

By signing the Artemis Accords, Albania opens the door to future lunar exploration opportunities with NASA. The agreement supports international cooperation as nations work toward humanity’s return to the Moon and a new era of space exploration and innovation.

For more information about the Artemis Accords, please see below.