The Republic of Botswana signed the Artemis Accords\u00a0Thursday\u00a0during a ceremony\u00a0hosted by NASA\u00a0at the agency\u2019s headquarters in Washington,\u00a0becoming the\u00a0sixth African nation to join a growing community of nations committed to the peaceful, transparent, and responsible exploration of space.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is my privilege to welcome Botswana as the newest signatory of the Artemis Accords,\u201d said NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson. \u201cToday marks an important milestone in our international partnership and in the continued growth of the Artemis community.\u00a0Botswana joins at an important moment.\u00a0Earlier this month, we announced the\u00a0crew of Artemis III and, as we speak, their\u00a0spacecraft\u00a0is being assembled as they prepare to play their part in\u00a0mankind\u2019s greatest adventure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Botswana\u2019s Minister of Communications and Innovation David Tshere signed on behalf of the country. U.S. Department of State Senior Advisor for Space Gregory Autry, and Mabedi Ngwenya, acting ambassador\u00a0of the Republic of Botswana to the United States, also participated in the ceremony.<\/p>\n
\u201cBotswana like many countries, we have interest in space exploration, found it important to become a signatory to the Artemis Accords to promote the safe, transparent, and sustainable civil space exploration, and to advance international cooperation, and a shared framework for responsible activities in the space,\u201d said Tshere.<\/p>\n
This new chapter builds on Botswana\u2019s long history of collaboration with the United States in space-based Earth observation. In the early 1970s, Botswana participated in the satellite program later known as Landsat, joining dozens of other nations in pioneering satellite-based environmental observation. Botswana marked another milestone with the launch of its first Earth observation satellite, Botswana Satellite 1, in March\u00a02025, aboard a SpaceX Falcon\u00a09.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In\u00a02020, during the first Trump Administration, the United States, led by NASA and the State Department, joined with seven other founding nations to\u00a0establish\u00a0the Artemis Accords, responding to the growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies. The\u00a0Artemis Accords introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at enhancing the safety and coordination\u00a0between like-minded nations as they explore\u00a0the Moon, Mars, and beyond.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Signing the Artemis Accords means committing to explore peaceably and transparently, to render aid to those in need, to enable access to scientific data that all of humanity can learn from, to ensure activities do not interfere with those of others, and to preserve historically significant sites and artifacts by developing best practices for space exploration for the benefit of all.\u00a0<\/p>\n
More countries are expected to sign the Artemis Accords in the months and years ahead, as NASA continues its work to\u00a0establish\u00a0a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Learn more about the Artemis Accords at:\u00a0 <\/p>\n