CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. NASA and the White House revealed on Wednesday a groundbreaking agreement to include an international astronaut in the upcoming U.S. moon missions, marking a significant step toward global cooperation in space exploration.
Vice President Kamala Harris, leading the National Space Council’s third gathering under the Biden administration in Washington, made the announcement without specifying the nationality of the international astronaut or the country they would represent. A NASA spokeswoman clarified later that crew assignments for lunar-landing missions would be determined closer to the launch, with no commitments made to any specific country at this time.
For decades, NASA has welcomed international astronauts on various space missions. Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen is slated to orbit the moon alongside three U.S. astronauts approximately a year from now. However, the upcoming mission is set to achieve a historic milestone—the first lunar touchdown by astronauts in over half a century, projected to take place no sooner than 2027, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
The Apollo program of the 1960s and 1970s, which included all 12 moonwalkers, was exclusively composed of U.S. citizens. The current moon exploration initiative by NASA, named Artemis after Apollo’s mythological twin sister, signals a new era of inclusivity with international participation.
Jeremy Hansen expressed his appreciation during the National Space Council meeting, stating, “Including international partners is not only sincerely appreciated but is urgently needed in the world today.”
NASA has consistently emphasized the importance of global collaboration in space exploration, establishing the Artemis Accords in 2020 alongside the U.S. State Department. The accords aim to promote responsible behavior not only at the moon but also in all aspects of space activities. Representatives from all 33 countries that have signed the accords were expected to attend the space council’s meeting in Washington.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted the success of past international collaboration in space, citing the Webb Space Telescope—a joint effort involving the U.S., Europe, and Canada. Notably absent from the Artemis Accords are Russia and China, the only countries other than the U.S. to have launched their citizens into orbit.
During the meeting, Vice President Harris also unveiled new policies addressing the safe use of space, addressing concerns such as the climate crisis and the escalating issue of space debris. The 2021 anti-satellite missile test by Russia, which added over 1,500 potentially hazardous pieces of orbiting debris, prompted calls from Blinken and others for nations to cease destructive testing.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
