Serbia becomes 69th nation to join Artemis Accords at NASA ceremony
The Republic of Serbia has formally acceded to the Artemis Accords, committing to the peaceful and transparent exploration of space. The signing ceremony at NASA Headquarters highlighted historical Serbian contributions to the Apollo program and outlined future opportunities for scientific collaboration on the Moon Base.
The Republic of Serbia became the 69th nation to sign the Artemis Accords during a ceremony hosted by NASA at its Headquarters in Washington on Thursday. The agreement commits signatories to the peaceful, transparent, and responsible exploration of space, including the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Serbia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marko Đurić, signed the document on behalf of the country.
NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson highlighted the historical contributions of Serbian-American engineers to the Apollo program during the event. Anderson specifically cited Milojko ‘Mike’ Vučelić, who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his critical role in bringing the Apollo 13 crew safely home. Anderson noted that the broader team of Serbian-American engineers played key roles across systems engineering, propulsion, power systems, spacecraft docking, and mission coordination, supporting functions ranging from lunar landing analysis to safe spacecraft docking.
In his remarks, Minister Đurić referenced Serbia’s scientific legacy, citing figures such as Nikola Tesla, Milutin Milanković, and David Vujic. He described Vujic as a pioneer of the Apollo missions and a member of the ‘Serbian Seven,’ a group of engineers and technicians whose contributions helped make the Moon landing possible. Đurić stated that the nation owes it to its ancestors and children to keep pushing toward new frontiers and to explore, inspire one another, and dare greater things.
The Artemis Accords were established in 2020 by NASA and the Department of State, joined by seven founding nations, to set practical principles for lunar exploration safety and coordination. The agreement responds to growing interest in lunar activities by governments and private companies, aiming to enhance safety and coordination between nations. Five years later, President Donald J. Trump’s National Space Policy directed NASA to establish a sustained lunar outpost, which serves as the practical application of the Accords’ principles.
By signing the Accords, nations open the door to opportunities for future lunar exploration with NASA, such as providing science and technology payloads for the U.S.-led Moon Base and CubeSats for upcoming Artemis missions. Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to the United States Dragan Šutanovac, State Secretary for Serbia’s Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation Marija Gnjatović, and U.S. Department of State Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Wesley Brooks all participated in the signing ceremony. More countries are expected to sign the Accords in the months and years ahead as NASA continues its work to establish a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space.
