Finland has signed the Artemis Accords, a formal commitment to peaceful exploration of outer space.
Minister of Economic Affairs Wille Rydman signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of Finland on Tuesday, at a domestic space sector conference in Espoo. The Winter Satellite Workshop was organised by Aalto University's Space Technology research group.
Countries that join the accords make a commitment to carry out space exploration efforts for peaceful purposes.
The accords were established by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) and the US State Department to boost the space agency's Artemis programme, the ministry explained in a press release.
The Artemis programme has a short-term goal of returning humans to the moon, while future plans involve establishing a base on the lunar surface, according to Nasa.
Rydman said that Finnish companies and research institutions have been part of the space exploration community for decades, resulting in "many innovations and technologies".
"With the Artemis Accords, we will strengthen our partnership with the United States and other allies. Our aim is that the cooperation will open up opportunities for the Finnish space sector in the new era of space exploration and the Artemis Program," Rydman stated.
Rydman also signed another statement that said Finland will continue to consider the United Nations as the "primary forum for the development of international space law and that Finland complies with international law in its space activities", the ministry noted.
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