Brazil has signed on to the NASA-led Artemis Accords initiative to explore the moon responsibly.
The country became the first South American nation to sign the Artemis Accords, a guideline for the responsible exploration of the moon, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced Tuesday (June 15). The nations on board with these exploration principles include the U.S., Australia, Canada, Japan, Luxembourg, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and now, Brazil.
Agreeing to these guidelines, these nations are also signing on to participate in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon in 2024 and establish a sustainable human presence by the end of the decade.
Related: 8 nations sign US-led Artemis Accords for moon exploration and beyond
"Under the Artemis program, the United States will land the first woman and the first person of color on the moon and we're going to do that together with our international partners and commercial partners," Nelson said during a news conference announcing Brazil's commitment to the Artemis Accords.
"While we prepare for these bold and ambitious missions, it's important that the United States and our partners commit to conducting ourselves responsibly and transparently for the benefit of all," Nelson added. "That is to ensure a safe and sustainable environment for outer space activities."
Brazil joins 11 other nations as a signatory of the #Artemis Accords today!As the 1st country in South America to make this commitment to a sustainable space environment, Brazil shows the global impact of the Accords around the world. Thanks for your support, @Astro_Pontes! pic.twitter.com/4ilpCaU46cJune 15, 2021
Today we welcome a new member of the #Artemis family: Brazil 🇧🇷Brazil is the first country in South America to sign the Artemis Accords, demonstrating their commitment to joining our efforts to establish a safe and sustainable exploration of the Moon: https://t.co/rwwfVqPe28 pic.twitter.com/7Zs3qaMZeCJune 15, 2021
Brazil's involvement in the accords comes after, in December 2020, former NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine and Marcos Pontes, Brazil's Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) signed a joint statement of intent describing the nation's intention to be the first South American nation to sign the accords.
"In undertaking this important commitment, Brazil shows the global impact of the Artemis Accords. Your decision to join the community of nations committed to explore space peacefully, safely and transparently demonstrates Brazil's leadership on the international stage," Nelson said. "The Artemis Accords belong to our partners as much as they do to us, and we thank Brazil for its commitment to establishing peaceful norms of behavior in space."
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