Norway became the 55th country, which joined the Artemis Agreement, an international document, which regulates the principles of responsible space exploration. The signing took place 15 May at the headquarters of the Norwegian Space Agency in Oslo.
The document is based on the provisions of the Outer Space Treaty and contains recommendations on transparency, exchange of scientific data and use of resources in outer space. Joining the Agreement allows countries to participate in international lunar exploration initiatives, Mars and other directions.
From the beginning 2024 nine countries joined the Agreement, particularly Finland and Bangladesh. This shows that the new US administration continues to support the initiative.
Against the background of the expansion of the list of signatories, some key projects within the Artemis program are at risk due to proposed changes to the US budget for 2026 year. Among them is the Gateway project, in which the European Union participates, Canada, Japan and the United Arab Emirates. It is also planned to reduce the use of the European Service Module for the Orion spacecraft after the Artemis mission 3.
Further curtailment of these initiatives may call into question the participation of international partners in the Artemis program, which may require a review of their role and involvement in alternative projects.