Portugal Becomes 60th Nation to Join Artemis Accords
Portugal has officially joined the Artemis Accords, becoming the 60th country to sign the international framework promoting the peaceful, responsible and sustainable exploration of outer space, the U.S. Department of State announced.
Portugal’s Secretary of State for Science and Innovation Helena Canhão signed the Accords on January 11, reaffirming the country’s commitment to international cooperation in space. The signing was formally celebrated on January 12 at a ceremony attended by U.S. Ambassador to Portugal John J. Arrigo and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Dan Lawton, alongside meetings of the U.S.-Portugal Standing Bilateral Commission.
As a long-standing NATO ally, Portugal’s participation extends its strategic partnership with the United States beyond Earth, strengthening cooperation in science, innovation and space exploration.
The Artemis Accords, established in 2020 by the United States and seven partner nations, set out practical principles to guide responsible civil space activities. With Portugal’s accession, the Accords now include 60 signatory nations, reflecting growing global support for cooperative and transparent space governance.
The U.S. Department of State and NASA continue to lead international outreach and implementation of the framework.