NASA’s Artemis program seeks to return humans to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years and to build a sustained lunar presence ahead of potential missions to Mars.
Between 1969 and 1972, the US Apollo program saw 12 Americans – all white men – walk on the Moon.
NASA previously announced that the Artemis program would see the first woman and the first person of colour land on the Moon.
“America will no longer walk on the Moon alone,” NASA chief Bill Nelson said in a video published on social media.
“Diplomacy is good for discovery. And discovery is good for diplomacy,” he added.
The first mission to take astronauts to the lunar surface, Artemis 3, is planned for 2026. China meanwhile has said it seeks to put humans on the Moon by 2030.
Japan’s space agency JAXA is “extremely happy” about the announcement, a spokesman told AFP.
“We will do our best to implement the agreement,” including developing the rover for the program, he said.
