Finland Joins Artemis Accords, Strengthening Global Space Cooperation and Advancing Lunar Exploration

In a significant addition to the international community committed to the peaceful exploration of outer space, Finland has officially become the 53rd signatory of the Artemis Accords. The official signing took place on Tuesday during a ceremony at the Aalto University Winter Satellite Workshop 2025 in Espoo, Finland.

The Artemis Accords, initiated by the United States and seven other countries in 2020, are a series of agreements aiming to foster international cooperation in space exploration. The accords are designed to ensure that space exploration activities are conducted safely, transparently, and sustainably, with a strong focus on sharing scientific data that could benefit all humanity.

NASA's Associate Administrator, Jim Free, expressed his enthusiasm about Finland’s commitment via a virtual message, stating, “Finland is joining a community of nations keen on sharing scientific data, operating safely, and preserving the space environment for future generations.”

Finland’s participation is not just a formal signing; it's an extension of its deep-rooted involvement in space technology. Wille Rydman, Finland’s Minister of Economic Affairs, highlighted that Finland has been an active participant in space exploration for decades, driven by pioneering technologies and research from Finnish institutions and firms. “The Artemis Accords align with Finland’s updated space strategy, which prioritizes strengthening international and particularly U.S. partnerships,” Rydman stated.

Finland’s contributions to global space initiatives include its collaboration with NASA on several projects. Notably, the upcoming Intuitive Machines-2 lunar mission will include a pioneering LTE/4G communication system developed by Nokia, showcasing Finland's advanced technological capabilities in space communications.

Moreover, the Finnish Meteorological Institute has been instrumental in providing crucial environmental data from Mars via the Curiosity Rover's onboard sensors, again underscoring Finland’s role in advancing our understanding of space environments.

The Artemis Accords, grounded in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, propose a framework that governs activities on the moon, Mars, comets, and asteroids to avoid conflicts, ensure peace, and promote the responsible use of space resources. These accords emphasize safety, transparency, and the cooperative development of useful technologies like remote sensing, satellite communications, and environmental monitoring.

As space exploration ventures become increasingly global and commercial, partnerships like those fostered through the Artemis Accords will be crucial for advancing human understanding of the universe and enhancing the technologies that allow us to explore it safely and efficiently.