In August 2021, as part of Vice President Kamala Harris's trip to Singapore, the United States and Singapore agreed on the importance of creating a safe and transparent environment that facilitates space exploration, science, and commercial activities for all of humanity to enjoy. Vice President Harris and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong discussed opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation in the field of space.
Today, as a product of that expanded dialogue and cooperation on space, Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of the Republic of Singapore in a ceremony in Washington, DC. This important statement of commitment to the peaceful and safe exploration of space was welcomed by Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary J.R. Littlejohn and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy.
Led by the Department of State and NASA, the Artemis Accords are grounded in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 and promote values-based cooperation and encourage responsible and safe behavior in space. These principles for space exploration also underpin NASA's Artemis Program, which seeks to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon, while preparing to conduct a human mission to Mars.
Singapore is the 18th country to sign the Accords, joining Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. These nations are leading the world in operationalizing principles for the responsible exploration of space.
