Artemis Accords nations grapple with how to handle emergencies and 'harmful interference' on the moon

Five years after the Artemis Accords were established, key rules for operating on the moon remain unresolved, including how to respond to emergencies and how to define "safety zones" around lunar activities.

As NASA gears up to launch its Artemis 2 mission — which will return astronauts to the vicinity of the moon for the first time in over half a century, presaging the later return of humans to the lunar surface — efforts are continuing on the ground to determine how to address the inherent dangers of lunar exploration.

At a press conference at the International Astronautical Congress in Sydney, Australia, last September, Artemis Accords members United Arab Emirates, Australia and the United States presented the latest outcomes from signatories' workshops on key issues, notably including the issue of emergencies and safety zones.