Turkey Joins Artemis Accords

On 31st August 2026, Turkey joined the US-led Artemis Accords as the 71st signatory, supporting peaceful and responsible space exploration.

Key Points

About Artemis Accords: The framework establishes non-binding principles for safe, transparent and peaceful exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond.
Launch: NASA and the US Department of State launched the Artemis Accords in 2020.
Legal Basis: The accords are based on the principles of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.
Key Commitments: Signatories promote scientific data sharing, astronaut assistance, interoperability and responsible space activities.
Heritage Protection: The framework supports preservation of historically significant sites and objects on celestial bodies.
Turkey’s Space Programme: Turkey is developing indigenous capabilities, including the AYAP-1 uncrewed lunar mission.
Human Spaceflight: Alper Gezeravcı became the first Turkish citizen to travel to space in 2024.
Regional Significance: Turkey became the seventh West Asian country to join the Artemis Accords.