AI Insight
Turkey is scheduled to become the 71st country to sign the Artemis Accords during a ceremony on August 31, 2026, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will host Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, along with U.S. State Department officials, for the signing event. The Artemis Accords, established in 2020 by eight founding nations, set forth practical principles to enhance safety, transparency, and coordination in civil space exploration activities on the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Why it matters
This signing expands international cooperation in space exploration to 71 nations, strengthening the global framework for peaceful and coordinated lunar and planetary activities. The growing number of signatories reflects increasing international commitment to shared principles governing space exploration as both governmental and commercial lunar missions expand.
Understand the Science
Turkey will sign the Artemis Accords during a ceremony at 2:30 p.m. EDT Monday, Aug. 31, at NASA Headquarters in Washington, becoming the 71st country signatory.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will host Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır for the ceremony, together with U.S. Department of State officials.
This event is in person only. Media interested in attending must RSVP no later than 11 a.m. on Aug. 31, to: hq-media@mail.nasa.gov. NASA’s media accreditation policy is online.
In 2020, during the first Trump Administration, the United States, led by NASA and the State Department, joined with seven other founding nations to establish the Artemis Accords, responding to the growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies.
The Artemis Accords introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at enhancing the safety, transparency, and coordination of civil space exploration on the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Learn more about the Artemis Accords at:
https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords
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Camille Gallo / Elizabeth Shaw
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
camille.m.gallo@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.shaw@nasa.gov
Source: NASA Invites Media to Turkey Artemis Accords Signing Ceremony