Latvia Signs Artemis Accords at NASA Ceremony

The Baltic nation joins international space cooperation agreement.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 6:32pm

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A highly abstract, textured painting in soft shades of blue, green, and orange, featuring sweeping geometric shapes and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the international cooperation and scientific forces behind the Artemis Accords for space exploration.The Artemis Accords framework brings nations together to chart a new era of lunar exploration and scientific discovery.Washington Today

The Republic of Latvia will sign the Artemis Accords, NASA's framework for international cooperation in lunar exploration, during a ceremony on Monday, April 20th at the agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C. The event will be attended by media representatives.

Why it matters

The Artemis Accords outline principles for safe and transparent space operations, resource utilization, and scientific discovery. Latvia's participation demonstrates growing international support for the Artemis program and its goal of returning humans to the Moon by 2024.

The details

The signing ceremony will take place at 9 a.m. EDT at NASA Headquarters. The Artemis Accords were first established in 2020 and have since been signed by over a dozen nations, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Japan, and several European countries.

  • The signing ceremony will be held on Monday, April 20, 2026 at 9 a.m. EDT.

The players

Republic of Latvia

A Baltic nation that will be signing the Artemis Accords, NASA's framework for international cooperation in lunar exploration.

NASA

The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which is hosting the Artemis Accords signing ceremony at its headquarters in Washington, D.C.

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What’s next

Following the signing ceremony, Latvia will officially become the latest nation to join the Artemis Accords and participate in the international effort to return humans to the lunar surface.

The takeaway

Latvia's decision to sign the Artemis Accords demonstrates the growing global momentum behind NASA's Artemis program and the desire for international collaboration in space exploration and development.