The Artemis accords are a new set of standards on how to explore the moon. The agency hopes other countries will agree to the terms.

The Artemis accords are a reference to NASA’s Artemis program. Nasa wants everyone to be on the same page in how they’ll behave when they reach the moon by 2024.

Nasa worked with the State Department and the National Space council to come up with these guidelines.’when we go to the moon, there’s a basic framework that we all agree on,’ bridenstine said.

An international framework for exploring space already exists in the form of the outer space treaty, which was signed and enacted in 1967. The treaty creates a series of loose guidelines for how nations are supposed to explore space.

I’m honored to announce the # Artemis accords agreements today. The agreement is set for all international partners that join in humanity’s return to the moon moon we go, together: www.co/mnnskoqsbu pic.com/aa3jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjbzxv2xv2.

The idea is to create an agreement without going through the standard treaty-making process, which can be slow. Nasa is squarely focused on getting to the moon by 2024, the need for speed is there.

The accords would establish a’safety zone’ that would give potential explorers some room to work on the moon, free of interference from other countries.

Nasa has long touted its interest in mining water ice, thought to be lurking on the lunar surface, to use as drinking water or to create rocket fuel. The outer space treaty argues that nations can not lay claim or own property in space.

In April, Trump signed an executive order supporting the US’s ability to mine resources from the moon and other bodies, arguing that it does not conflict with the outer space treaty. Now with these accords, NASA and the Trump administration want to take things a step further and get multiple countries to agree that this way of utilize space resources is acceptable.

Countries that are part of the agreement will also agree to share data openly in the same way that NASA does. Other provisions make sure that the Apollo landing sights would remain unharmed.

Russia was not pleased with the idea of the Artemis accords when they were first reported. Dmitry Rogozin, director general of Russia’s state space Corporation, Roscosmos, argued that’the principle of invasion is the same, whether it be the moon or Iraq’.

‘people are going to interpret it in a way that matches their preexisting ideology and understanding,’ says Johnson. Johnson believes people will interpret it as a way to match their preexisting philosophy and understanding.