Albania joins the Artemis Accords and expands its participation in international space exploration cooperation

Albania has joined the Artemis Accords, the international initiative establishing principles for the peaceful and responsible exploration and use of space. The country became the 73rd signatory to the Accords following an official ceremony at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C., BalkanEngineer.com learned from a statement by the U.S. space agency.

The document was signed on behalf of Albania by Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha. By joining, the country accepts the general principles for future civil space activities, including mission transparency, the exchange of scientific data, interoperability of systems, assistance in emergencies, and the mitigation of space debris. The agreements cover cooperation on activities on the Moon, Mars, asteroids, and other space objects.

The Artemis Accords initiative was established in 2020 by the United States and seven other countries in response to the expansion of civil and private space programs. It is not a treaty governing specific missions or funding, but rather a general framework of principles upon which countries can subsequently develop bilateral and multilateral projects. Other topics include the registration of space objects, the use of space resources, the preservation of historical sites, and the coordination of activities to avoid mutual interference.

For Albania, this accession follows the country’s first practical steps in the use of space technologies. In January 2023, Albania-1 and Albania-2, two Earth observation satellites, were launched into orbit. They were launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and are used to collect satellite data on the country’s territory.

Albania also participates in the NASA International Space Apps Challenge, through which students, professionals, and technology teams work with NASA’s open scientific data.

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