International agreement on the principle of space activity with a view to the lunar exploration "Artemis Program" October 14, 5:35
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With a view to the "Artemis Program" in which Japan participates in exploring the moon, a signing ceremony was held for an international agreement that stipulated the principles for activities in outer space. He expressed his hope that it would serve as a guideline for rule-making.
The signing ceremony was held online before dawn on the 14th of Japan time, and a total of eight countries, including Japan, Canada, and the United Kingdom, participated in the call from the United States.
This agreement stipulates the principles for activities in outer space with a view to the international project "Artemis Program" in which Japan participates in exploring the moon. Activities for peaceful purposes and transparency In addition to seeking to secure it, it also includes how to collect and use space resources.
According to the Cabinet Office, although this agreement is not legally binding, it will be Japan's first international framework for activities such as lunar exploration.
At the signing ceremony, Minister of Science and Technology Inoue, who is in charge of space policy, said, "We hope that the principles stipulated in this agreement will be a great guide for creating international rules regarding future space activities. With our international partners We look forward to your cooperation. "
The background of the agreement is
The background of this agreement is to create an environment for monthly exploration and resource use by countries and companies by creating an international rule framework, and to support it.
The water expected to be on the moon can be used as drinking water, and hydrogen obtained by decomposition is also expected to be used as a resource, and countries such as the United States, China, and Japan have launched exploration plans. I am.
On the other hand, since there are no international agreements, there was concern that trouble would occur among the countries that are proceeding with the plan.
Therefore, while the agreement states that each country has the right to freely collect and use resources, it requires that space development be continued safely without interfering with people and equipment of other countries.
In addition, there is an item to preserve the traces of activities so far, and the United States has historically recorded the footprints of American astronauts and some of the landers left in the "Apollo Program" that was carried out around 1970. It seems that there is an aim to preserve it as a heritage.
In addition to implementing it for peaceful purposes, it also includes sharing the space policies and intentions of each country to ensure transparency.
This time, the agreement was reached between Japan, the United States, and European countries, but it seems that the United States, which took the lead, aims to restrain China, which is promoting its own space development, including lunar exploration.