Cyprus joined 45 other countries to co-operate with NASA in returning humanity to the moon and then in the giant effort to send the first humans to Mars.
This week Cyprus signed the Artemis Accords created by NASA for the peaceful exploration and development of space, becoming the 46th nation to do so.
“Cyprus becomes part of the space elite, 46 countries that cooperate with NASA for the return to the moon and then for the big step, towards planet Mars,” President of the Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation George Danos told the Cyprus News Agency.
NASA decided to name its new historic mission Artemis in order to pay tribute to Greek mythology, as Artemis was Apollo’s twin sister and goddess of the moon. The mission will return to the moon after half a century and deliver the first female astronaut to its surface. In all of history, only 12 people have set foot on the moon, all men and all Americans. This was during the golden era of the Apollo programme in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The signing ceremony took place on Wednesday at the Presidential Palace in the Cypriot capital Nicosia. The document was signed by Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy Nikodemos Damianou in the presence of US Assistant Secretary of State James O’Brien, according to Cyprus Mail.
We applaud Cyprus’ commitment to the Artemis Accords, which will enhance the country’s engagement with NASA and the international community. By joining 45 other country signatories in this effort, Cyprus will help play a role in implementing the accords and exploration that is open, responsible, transparent and peaceful for the benefit of all, NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free said.
Joining the Artemis Accords marks a milestone for Cyprus as it is a global and diverse coalition of countries striving for a new era of space exploration based on the principles of security, peace and sustainable development.
The Deputy Minister highlighted Cyprus’ successes in communications, satellites and Earth observation. In 2023, Cyprus’ worldwide revenue was $570 billion and by 2030 it is estimated to reach one trillion dollars, with all the technological and financial implications.
In 2020, NASA worked with the US State Department and seven other original signatory countries to develop the Artemis Accords. The Artemis Accords provide a common set of principles to improve the governance of civilian space exploration and use. The goal of NASA aims for a permanent presence of astronauts on the moon to work and live for extended periods of time at a permanent base.
