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Space Club Gets Bigger! Turkey Is About to Become Country #71 on the Space Promise List
Quick Summary
Tomorrow — Monday, August 31 — Turkey will sign a set of space rules called the Artemis Accords at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. This makes Turkey the 71st country to join. The Accords are a set of promises that countries make to explore space safely, peacefully, and together.
What Happened?
NASA announced this week that Turkey will sign the Artemis Accords at a special ceremony tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. Eastern time. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will host Turkey’s Minister of Industry and Technology, Mehmet Fatih Kacır, for the signing.
So what exactly are the Artemis Accords? Think of them like a list of rules for a very important field trip — except the field trip is to the Moon and beyond. The accords were created in 2020 by the United States alongside seven other countries. They lay out how countries should behave in space to keep things safe and fair.
The rules cover things like: sharing what you find with the world, not causing damage on the Moon, being transparent about what you are doing, and helping rescue astronauts from other countries if there’s an emergency.
As of July 2026, 70 countries had already signed — including Australia, Canada, Japan, India, France, Germany, Brazil, and many more. Turkey will become number 71.
Turkey has been building its space program for years. In 2024, it became only the 11th country in the world to build its own communications satellite from start to finish. Joining the Artemis Accords is a big step toward Turkey working more closely with other countries on future Moon missions.
Why Does It Matter?
The more countries that agree to work together peacefully in space, the safer and more exciting space exploration becomes for everyone.
NASA’s Artemis program aims to send astronauts back to the Moon — and eventually to Mars. Having 71 countries working under the same set of guidelines means better teamwork, safer missions, and more shared discoveries.
Think of it this way: if a group of 71 friends all agree on the rules before playing a game, that game is going to go a lot more smoothly than if everyone makes up their own rules.
Tomorrow’s ceremony happens at NASA Headquarters the day after NASA launched its biggest new telescope — the Roman Space Telescope — into space this morning. It is quite a week for space!
Big Words
- Artemis Accords — a set of guidelines that countries agree to follow when exploring the Moon and space, focused on safety, sharing, and peace
- Signatory — a person or country that officially signs an agreement
- Transparent — being open and honest about what you are doing, so others can see and understand
- Space agency — a government organization in charge of a country’s space programs and missions
- Accords — another word for an official agreement or set of rules that different groups all accept
Fun Fact
The Artemis Accords are named after NASA’s Artemis program, which itself is named after Artemis — the twin sister of Apollo in ancient Greek mythology. The first Moon program was called Apollo, so it was fitting to name the next one after Apollo’s sister!
Think About It
If you were writing the rules for how people should behave on the Moon, what are three things you would include — and why?
Sources
- NASA.gov News Release — NASA Invites Media to Turkey Artemis Accords Signing Ceremony (Aug 27, 2026)
- SpacePolicyOnline.com — Turkey Signs Artemis Accords, Aug 31, 2026
- US Department of State — Artemis Accords signatories (July 2026 update)
- Overlook Horizon — NASA Invites Media to Turkey Artemis Accords Signing Ceremony