Portugal signs the Artemis Accords

WASHINGTON — Portugal has become the latest country to sign the Artemis Accords outlining best practices for responsible space exploration, beating out another European country to be the 60^th to join.

Helena Canhão, Portugal’s state secretary for science and innovation, signed the Artemis Accords Jan. 11 on behalf of the government, with an event held in Lisbon Jan. 12 to formally announce the signing as part of broader discussions between the governments of the United States and Portugal.

“2026 is the year in which humans will return to the moon. It will mark the beginning of a new era of space exploration, reminiscent of the Portuguese explorers of the past, such as Magellan and his circumnavigation of our planet,” said Hugo Costa, executive director of the Portuguese Space Agency, in a statement.

“As a nation that approaches space sustainability with great care and responsibility, Portugal and the Portuguese Space Agency are proud to join the Artemis Accords and contribute to the sustainable, beneficial and peaceful use of space for all humankind,” he said.

Portugal is the first country to sign the Accords in 2026, following seven signings in 2025. A total of 60 countries have signed the Accords since they were introduced in 2020 to help refine principles established in the Outer Space Treaty and other international agreements.

“Portugal’s history makes this moment especially fitting,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a video marking the signing, noting the country’s maritime exploration heritage and drawing parallels to modern space exploration. “Today, it’s helping usher in a new golden age of exploration with the United States.”

Another European country had appeared poised to become the 60th signatory. In October, the Latvian government announced its intent to sign the Accords after the tally of signatories had reached 59.

However, U.S. officials said in early November that Latvia had not yet formally signed the accords and therefore was not counted as a signatory. The country has yet to sign but is expected to do so in the near future.

“We’re now up to 59 countries,” said Valda Vikmanis, director of the Office of Outer Space Affairs at the State Department, during a panel discussion in December at an event at the Meridian International Center marking the fifth anniversary of the Artemis Accords.

Officials from NASA and the State Department reaffirmed the importance of the Accords at that event.

“This is now an environment that has to have norms and standards and rules, and that’s what we’ve done,” said NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya, citing the sharp increase in launches in recent years. “It’s a bulwark against chaos.”

“By expanding and implementing the accords, the United States and our fellow signatories are pushing back against the aggressive use of outer space and are working together to shape space activities in a way that benefits all,” said John Thompson, senior bureau official at the State Department’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.

“The principles of the accords matter more than ever,” he added. “We must not only continue to expand the accords by securing new signatories, we must also actively use this community to keep space safe and open.”