The 77th International Space Congress (IAC), organized by IAF, of which Anadolu Agency (AA) is the "Global Communication Partner", continues at Antalya NEST Congress Center, under the coordination of the Ministry of Industry and Technology and co-hosted by the Turkish Space Agency (TUA) and SAHA Istanbul.
As part of the congress, an information meeting on "USA Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) Artemis Agreements" was held.
NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson and Peruvian Space Agency (CONIDA) President Major General Roberto Melgar Sheen attended the briefing moderated by NASA Deputy Press Secretary George Alderman as speakers.
NASA Deputy Administrator Anderson said that an event was held yesterday with the principal members of the Artemis Accords and that it was an opportunity to really get to know each other and expand the partnership.
Anderson pointed out that the Artemis Agreements mean the coming together of like-minded countries that want to carry out responsible, safe and transparent operations in space, and stated that there are 76 countries and 24 of them were included in the agreement within a year and a half.
Referring to NASA's Artemis II mission, Anderson reminded that NASA successfully orbited the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years.
CONIDA President Major General Sheen stated that he was pleased to be here and reminded that Lima, the capital of Peru, hosted the International Artemis Agreements Workshop.
Stating that this historical milestone was achieved thanks to the devoted and perfect cooperation between the Peruvian Space Agency and the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sheen said, "This situation underlines the determined commitment of the Peruvian state to space diplomacy and governance. The Lima workshop was much more than a meeting." he said.
As we approach the sixth anniversary of the Artemis Accords, Peru proudly reaffirms its commitment to these visions, Sheen said.
Stating that he believes that the future of the exploration of the Moon and space should be guided by the principles of transparency, sustainability, interoperability and inclusiveness, Sheen said, "Peru will continue to contribute by building bridges of cooperation and as a reliable country in this new era when space research will provide benefits for humanity." he said.
There are countries that agree on the Artemis Accords
Answering questions from members of the press, Anderson said about whether the USA expects Russia or China to sign the Artemis Agreements: "What we like about the 76 countries that are part of the Artemis Agreements is that we are countries that agree on the principles that we all agree on. If Russia and China one day agree on these principles, which we do not see right now, then there may be a possibility for them to join the Artemis Agreements." he said.
Regarding the US approach to countries that signed the Artemis Agreements but cooperated in the academic field with different countries such as China, Anderson said, "What the sovereign countries do is up to them. We agreed on some common principles with these 76 countries. However, signing the Artemis Agreements does not prevent other countries from doing things that will serve their national interests." he said.
Regarding the meeting held with member countries yesterday, Anderson stated that they discussed issues related to space debris and garbage around the Moon, and explained that countries can proceed at whatever level of investment they can make in line with their national priorities.
Türkiye makes space a priority
Anderson pointed out that Türkiye, which has a great relationship with the USA, is a very good example regarding cooperation with Turkey and Türkiye's increasing capacity in the field of space, and said, "By signing the Artemis Agreements, Turkey has joined another organization with which we can share common principles and values." he said.
Noting that Türkiye showed a new standard for the IAC, that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the congress and that his speech was entirely about space, Anderson emphasized that Türkiye has set a new standard for the congresses in the coming years.
Anderson pointed out that Türkiye sees space as one of the ways to take Turkish industry to a higher level.
Regarding the weaponization of space, Anderson stated that the Artemis Accords focus on the civilian space sector in a peaceful and transparent manner, and that the first method to stop space debris is to prevent it from appearing in the first place.
Anderson pointed out that around 40 member countries participated in yesterday's meeting and mentioned that the issue of education was also on the agenda.
Regarding the documents made public by the USA regarding the concepts of "Unidentified Flying Object (UFO)" and "Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP)", Anderson stated that they wanted the public to know what is known by the US administration, so they published the documents, but they could not explain all of them.
"The first step towards building trust"
Answering the questions of members of the press, Sheen reminded that Peru signed the Artemis Agreements in 2004 and noted that this agreement wanted to show its commitment and cooperation to the international community from the very beginning.
“That's why we requested the State Department and NASA for the opportunity to host this Artemis Workshop. This is the first step to demonstrate our commitment, demonstrate our confidence, and build trust within the community,” Sheen said. he said.
Stating that this is the first time that the developing Latin American country has such an opportunity, Sheen evaluated that there will be many developments in the near future, 2027-2028.
