Bulgaria makes history as the 32nd nation to join the Artemis Accords, solidifying its commitment to peaceful, transparent, and sustainable lunar exploration. In a landmark signing ceremony at NASA Headquarters in Washington, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Milena Stoycheva, Bulgaria’s minister of innovation and growth, celebrated this momentous occasion on Thursday, Nov. 9.
“NASA is honored to welcome Bulgaria as the 32nd nation to sign the Artemis Accords,” said Nelson in a statement released by NASA. “The global partnerships made in the Artemis era will create possibilities that benefit members of the Artemis Generation in both our countries — and around the world. Bulgaria’s leadership will help ensure humanity’s journey to the Moon and beyond is done peacefully, safely, and transparently.”
Stoycheva echoed the sentiment, calling Bulgaria’s accession to the Artemis Accords “a historical moment.” She emphasized the importance of leveraging AI and deep technologies to expand human quest in space, with the ultimate goal of ensuring peaceful and sustainable coexistence on Earth.
The Artemis Accords serve as a framework for the Artemis program, guiding its activities and acting as its diplomatic underpinning. The addition of Bulgaria further strengthens the global coalition dedicated to advancing space exploration efforts.
Thursday’s announcement follows closely on the heels of Iceland and the Netherlands joining the Artemis Accords. With Bulgaria’s rich history of space activity, including producing the first Bulgarian cosmonaut and becoming a European Cooperating State in 2015, this partnership signals a new chapter in the country’s contribution to space exploration.
While nations like China are also forging their path in lunar exploration, the Artemis Accords continue to gather momentum as a benchmark for international collaboration in space exploration. As the world looks to the skies, these partnerships will chart the course for humanity’s next great adventure.
