NASA, UN agree to expand international cooperation on space exploration

A new agreement could open the door for international space researchers and institutions to participate more in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to send astronauts to Mars.

The US and the United Nations pledged cooperation in "areas of science and technology to support the peaceful uses of outer space" in an in a memorandum of understanding signed on Thursday.

The agreement between US space agency NASA and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) aims to combine NASA's expertise with the UN's global reach to "expand global opportunities to leverage the benefits of space."

This includes creating "capacity building" programs helping countries without space programs access opportunities presented by space research.

NASA-UN cooperation "will open doors for all countries, in particular developing ones, to take part in the benefits of the next exciting phase of space exploration," UNOOSA Director Simonetta Di Pippo was quoted as saying in a press release.

To the moon and Mars

NASA's Artemis program aims to "land the first woman and the next man on the moon" by 2024, and "establish sustainable exploration by the end of the decade." The ultimate goal is to use the experiences gained by living on the moon to prepare for the human exploration of Mars.

"From suborbital flights to the International Space Station, the Moon, Mars, and beyond, our scientific and exploration activities represent a singular opportunity for the advancement of human knowledge and international partnerships," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine in a press release.

NASA said that the cooperation would help leverage the Artemis program as part of UNOOSA's Access to Space for All Initiative, "which offers opportunities for international researchers and institutions to take part in this unprecedented journey of discovery."

Closer to home

The cooperation also envisions NASA-UN cooperation on increasing access to NASA's earth observation data and capabilities.

These include efforts to fight famine, support disaster relief efforts, and even improve water management and sustainable urban development, NASA administrator Bridenstine said.

NASA and the UN want to expand opportunities for space researchers around the world