Showing its commitment to ensuring sustainable space exploration, Brazil is the last country to sign NASA's Artemis Agreement, and also the only one in Latin America.
Brazil is the last of 11 countries to sign up to NASA's Artemis Space Program, which promotes space exploration. The country is the only one in Latin America that has signed the agreement so far. See also: General Motors will build a new lunar rover for NASA to use during its upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon.
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Marcos Pontes, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of Brazil, signed the agreement during a ceremony that took place on June 15, in Brasília. President Jair Bolsonaro, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Alberto França, and other authorities were also present. Brazil is the 12th country to sign the document for space exploration.
The country joins countries that have already signed up to the space program, such as Australia, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States and Ukraine.
Other countries also intend to join the space exploration program in the coming months or years, according to the progression of NASA's work with its international partners, which will add new energies and renewable resources to ensure that the whole world can benefit from the exploration program.
Pronouncement of the authorities
According to Pontes, signing the Artemis Space Program is a historic act for Brazil. Along with other countries, the South American giant will have the opportunity to explore space, the moon, and start several other possibilities for international cooperation.
He claims that Brazil is promoting a huge national effort, with the involvement of the Brazilian space industry and the Government. "As a minister and an astronaut myself, it is an honor for me to sign the Artemis Accords for space exploration."
According to Bill Nelson, NASA has been anxious since last December, when Pontes and Jim Bridenstine, former NASA administrator, signed a declaration of intent regarding possible cooperation in the Artemis Space Program.
Discover the Artemis Accords
Aiming not only to stimulate space exploration, Artemis also aims to improve the peaceful relations of nations. As such, at the heart of the Accords is the requirement that all operations be conducted for peaceful purposes.
The Space Program will also see NASA put the first woman and the next man on the moon in 2024, heralding a new step in the use and exploration of space. While NASA is leading the program, international partnerships will play a critical role in achieving a sustainable presence.
