Albania officially joined the Artemis Accords on September 21, 2026, during a ceremony held at NASA headquarters in Washington. This move makes the nation the 73rd signatory of the international framework, which was originally established in 2020 by NASA, the US Department of State, and seven founding countries.
The agreement outlines guidelines for the peaceful and transparent exploration of space, including the Moon and Mars. Key principles include the sharing of scientific data, the provision of assistance to astronauts, the prevention of interference between missions, and the preservation of historical sites and artifacts in space.
Albania has already begun integrating space technology into its national infrastructure. In January 2023, the country launched two remote sensing satellites, Albania-1 and Albania-2, using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Additionally, the nation hosts the NASA Space Apps Challenge to foster engagement with Earth and space data.
The expansion of the Artemis Accords has been rapid throughout September. Albania follows Djibouti, which became the 72nd member on September 14. Including the accession of Turkey in August, these recent additions reflect the ongoing growth of the international coalition dedicated to civil space exploration.
