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Latvia becomes the 62nd country to join US-led Artemis Accords

Spaceflight Apr 21, 2026

BY PRANJAL PRANIT

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman shakes hands with Dace Melbārde, Latvia’s Minister for Education and Science, following a signing of the Artemis Accords, April 20, 2026.

Representatives from the Republic of Latvia, including Minister of Education and Science Dace Melbārde, agreed to join the Artemis Accords. These are a set of governing principles that outline an ideal of cooperative nature of space exploration for all member nations. The event, making the European nation the 62nd signatory, was held on April 20, 2026 at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

5 Photos

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IMAGE SOURCE: JOEL KOWSKY | NASA

Latvia’s Minister for Education and Science signing the Artemis Accords

Dace Melbārde, Latvia’s Minister for Education and Science, signing the Artemis Accords on Monday, April 20, 2026, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington.

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IMAGE SOURCE: JOEL KOWSKY | NASA

Chargé D’Affaires a.i. Jānis Beķeris at the Embassy of Latvia to the US

Jānis Beķeris, Chargé D’Affaires a.i. at the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia to the United States, was also present at the Artemis Accords signing event held in Washington, D.C.

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IMAGE SOURCE: JOEL KOWSKY | NASA

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (left), shakes hands with Dace Melbārde, Latvia’s Minister for Education and Science

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (left), shakes hands with Latvia’s Minister for Education and Science Dace Melbārd after the signing of the Artemis Accords at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington on April 20, 2026.

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IMAGE SOURCE: JOEL KOWSKY | NASA

Dignitaries from the US and Latvia seated at the Artemis Accords event

(From the left) U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, Latvia’s Minister for Education and Science Dace Melbārde, and Chargé D’Affaires a.i. Jānis Beķeris at the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia to the United States pose for a picture after the Artemis Accords were signed on Monday, April 20, 2026, at the Mary W. Jackson building in Washington.

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IMAGE SOURCE: JOEL KOWSKY | NASA

Jānis Beķeris, Chargé D’Affaires a.i. at the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia to the United States, right,

Chargé D’Affaires a.i. Jānis Beķeris at the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia to the United States (right) has a word during the event held at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

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