Artemis Accords Reach 70 Signatories as Serbia and Mauritius Join

Overview

• Serbia signed the Accords on July 16, 2026, at NASA Headquarters and Mauritius signed on July 17, 2026 in Ébène, bringing the total number of government signatories to 70.
• U.S. officials and NASA leadership witnessed both ceremonies, with Serbia’s foreign minister signing in Washington and Mauritius’ permanent secretary signing in a ceremony attended by State Department representatives.
• By acceding, both countries gain formal pathways to contribute to Artemis-era work, including offering science and technology payloads for a U.S.-led Moon Base and CubeSats on Artemis missions.
• Serbia’s move is notable because it previously joined China’s International Lunar Research Station, underscoring that some states are engaging with both U.S.-led and Chinese lunar initiatives without exclusive commitments.
• Launched in 2020 with seven founding nations, the Accords set ten practical principles for peaceful, transparent civil space activity and have grown rapidly this year, offering smaller states new diplomatic, scientific, and commercial ties to lunar exploration.