NASA welcomes Bangladesh as newest Artemis Accords signatory

Following a signing of the Artemis Accords today (8 April) in Dhaka, NASA congratulated Bangladesh as the 54th nation to commit to the safe and responsible exploration of space that benefits humanity.

"We are thrilled by Bangladesh's signature of the accords," said NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro. 

"Bangladesh affirms its role in shaping the future of space exploration. This is about ensuring that our journey to the Moon – and beyond – is peaceful, sustainable, and transparent. We look forward to working together, to learning from one another, and to seeing how Bangladesh's incredible talent and vision contribute to humanity's next great chapter in space."

Ashraf Uddin, secretary of defence ministry in Bangladesh, signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of the country. 

Charge d'Affaires Tracey Jacobson for the US Embassy in Dhaka participated in the event, and Petro contributed remarks in a pre-recorded video message.

"Bangladesh's commitment to the Artemis Accords will enhance the country's engagement with NASA and the international community," said Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. 

"By signing the accords, Bangladesh builds upon an important foundation for the open, responsible and peaceful exploration of space."

In 2020, the United States, led by NASA and the US Department of State, and seven other initial signatory nations established the Artemis Accords, a first-ever set of practical guidelines for nations to increase safety of operations and reduce risk and uncertainty in their civil exploration activities. That group of signatories has grown to more than 50 countries today.

The Artemis Accords are grounded in the Outer Space Treaty and other agreements, including the Registration Convention and the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices for responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data.