Albania has officially joined the Artemis Accords, becoming the 73rd nation to sign the agreement. The ceremony took place on September 21, 2026, at the NASA headquarters in Washington, with Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha signing on behalf of the country.
The Artemis Accords were established in 2020 by NASA, the U.S. State Department, and seven founding nations. The agreement outlines principles for responsible, transparent, and sustainable space exploration, focusing on coordination for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Albania has previously engaged in space-related activities with the United States. In January 2023, the country launched two Earth-observation satellites, Albania-1 and Albania-2, using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The nation also participates in the NASA Space Apps Challenge. This annual global hackathon involves participants from over 150 countries who utilize open Earth and space science data from NASA and partner agencies to develop solutions for various challenges.
