PH latest country to sign space accord with US

The Philippines is the latest country to sign with the United States a space agreement, which provides a common set of principles to enhance the governance of the civil exploration and use of outer space.

Malaysia also signed the Artemis Accord, the US State Department said, bringing to 59 the number of signatories to the agreement.

"The Philippines and Malaysia have committed to principles of safe and transparent space exploration by signing onto the Artemis Accords. The United States is continuing our long tradition of leadership in space exploration," the State Department said Tuesday on X.

The Artemis Accords, according to NASA, "reinforce the commitment by signatory nations to the Outer Space Treaty, the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices and norms of responsible behavior for civil space exploration and use."

In their inaugural bilateral space dialogue in Washington in 2024, the Philippines and the US discussed cooperation on programs that use satellites to better forecast weather patterns; support agricultural and infrastructure planning; help monitor and combat climate change and pollution; prepare for and respond to disasters; improve natural resource use; and provide vital telecommunications services. 

They also agreed to consider the possible hosting in the Philippines of a US Geological Survey (USGS) Landsat ground station.

Both sides likewise recognized the potential for expanded cooperation on the use of space for maritime domain awareness, including through the US Department of Transportation-led SeaVision program.

SeaVision would help monitor and document vessels in the Philippines’ territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone, ensure the safety of mariners at sea, monitor and help protect the environment, and help combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. 

The two countries also recognized the importance of addressing space debris and to work together to expand bilateral exchange and training programs on the use of Earth observation satellite data, development of space applications and technologies and other space science and skills. —AOL, GMA Integrated News