Context: Recently, Jordan signed the Artemis Accords at NASA Headquarters.
Artemis Accord:
- It was launched in 2020.
- The Artemis Accords are a non-binding set of principles designed to guide civil space exploration.
- It provides a common set of principles to enhance the governance of the civil exploration and use of outer space.
- It was co-led by NASA and the U.S. Department of State, together with seven other founding member nations (Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom).
- India is also a signatory to this accord.
The principles of the Artemis Accords include:
- Peaceful exploration,
- Full transparency in space activity, including public release of scientific data,
- Interoperability of systems to enhance safety and sustainability,
- Emergency assistance to personnel in distress,
- Preserving outer space heritage,
- Extracting and utilising space resources in compliance with the Outer Space Treaty, and
- The safe disposal of orbital debris.