Home / Galleries

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

1 / 5

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.

2 / 5

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.

3 / 5

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.

4 / 5

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.

5 / 5

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.

MORE GALLERIES

Why haven't we found aliens yet? 5 strange possibilities that might explain the Fermi paradox

This is how humanity will die: Stephen Hawking's predictions for the end of the world

From Kendall Jenner to Shaquille O'Neal, six famous people who claimed they saw UFOs

These 5 asteroids are passing closer to Earth than you might expect

5 facts about the International Space Station you probably didn't know

The chilling theory that explains why we haven't found aliens yet

Does a parallel universe exist? Here's what the leading theories say

How a logger’s five-day disappearance became one of history's most famous alien abduction mysteries

5 animals who paved the way for human space travel

5 global music icons who claimed they saw UFOs

Wait, humans sent these into space? 5 strange objects you won't believe are still floating out there

Contact with 'advanced aliens' may not end well for Earth, warned Stephen Hawking

Did an advanced civilization exist on Earth long before humans?

4 major cosmic hazards that could pose threat to Earth

5 weirdest planets found by NASA

How a late-night road trip turned into one of history's most chilling UFO mysteries

5 incredible facts you didn't know about the universe

"Where are they?": Brian Cox reveals why we still haven’t found aliens

An asteroid could hit Earth with the energy of 22 atomic bombs—and NASA has a date for it

5 famous people who claimed they saw UFOs