The Republic of Mauritius has officially joined the global coalition committed to responsible space exploration, becoming the latest signatory and the seventh African country to join the Artemis Accords. NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson contributed video comments for a signing ceremony Friday in the island nation’s town of Ébène.

“We are honored to welcome Mauritius to the Artemis Accords community and look forward to working together for years to come,” said Anderson. “Together, we are creating the foundation for future exploration while ensuring that space remains peaceful, accessible and beneficial to all. The United States will return to the Moon and usher in the Golden Age of exploration and discovery. That work requires capable partners and a shared commitment to responsible exploration.”

The Permanent Secretary of Mauritius in the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Research, Navindsing Jugmohunsing, signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of the country. U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Sarah Troutman and U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Mauritius Craig Halbmaier were present to witness the signing.

“Mauritius’ accession to the Artemis Accords marks a decisive chapter in our journey into New Space,” Jugmohunsing said. “As a small island developing State in the Indian Ocean, we are committed to ensuring that space serves humanity by protecting our oceans and coasts and amplifying the voices of nations like ours. Mauritius stands ready to help shape the future of space governance while unlocking new opportunities for innovation and partnership.”

NASA first engaged with Mauritius through its first global mapping efforts, due to the nation’s strategic location. Between 1965 and 1980, NASA used several satellite missions to collect global measurements of the size and shape of the Earth. As part of that work, NASA sent equipment to Mauritius and other international monitoring stations supporting satellite photography for geodetic analysis. Their observations strengthened the navigation technologies used from Apollo to Artemis and helped lay the foundation for the partnership reaffirmed today by the Artemis Accords.

In 2020, NASA and the State Department joined seven other founding nations to establish the Artemis Accords, responding to growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies. They introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at improving safety and coordination among like-minded nations as they explore the Moon, Mars and beyond, committing nations to:

• explore peacefully and transparently
• provide help to those in need
• allow access to scientific data
• Ensure that activities do not interfere with those of others.
• preserve sites and artifacts of historical importance by developing best practices

Five years later, President Donald J. Trump’s National Space Policy directed NASA to establish a sustained lunar outpost. With this Lunar Base, NASA is putting the principles of the Artemis Accords into practice, inviting all signatories, now including Mauritius, to participate in the effort.

More countries are expected to sign the Artemis Accords in the coming months and years, as NASA continues its work to establish a safe, peaceful and prosperous future in space.

Learn more about the Artemis Accords at:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords