Explained: What are Artemis Accords and what is its purpose?

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United States, he announced that India has decided to join the Artemis Accords. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Taranjit Singh Sandhu signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of both parties. 

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will collaborate to train Indian astronauts and send them to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2024. 

The Artemis Accords were established by the US State Department and NASA along with seven other founding members including-- Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom in 2020 for setting common principles to govern civil exploration and use of outer space, the moon, Mars, comets, and asteroids, for peaceful purposes.

What are Artemis Accords?

Artemis Accords is a non-binding multilateral arrangement between the US government and other global governments. This is an effort by America to return humans to the moon by 2025 for the sole purpose of space exploration. So far 28 countries and one territory have signed the accords. 

The Accords originated from the eponymous Artemis Program, a plan launched by America in 2017 to send people to the moon by 2024. 

Additionally, the accord also highlights the importance of the Rescue and Return Agreement opened in 1968. This agreement talks about the nations' responsibility to safely return astronauts and equipment to Earth. It also furthers space-related policies such as 1972's Liability Convention and 1975's Registration Convention.