Uzbekistan signs Artemis Accords as 77th member

The Republic of Uzbekistan became the 77th signatory of the Artemis Accords during a ceremony in Samarkand on Monday, according to NASA. The country committed to the practical principles that guide safe, transparent, and responsible civil space exploration.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of the country. The signing took place during a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson said Uzbekistan joins the Artemis Accords at an important moment. He said President Trump has directed NASA to build a Moon Base and establish an enduring presence on the lunar surface. He said as the principles of the Artemis Accords are put into practice, opportunities for like-minded nations to contribute to humanity's return to the Moon are expanding. He said Uzbekistan is a welcome addition to this growing coalition.

Uzbekistan has increasingly engaged with NASA and the broader international space community through its development of a national space program. Uzbek students are working to develop and launch the country's first CubeSat by 2028, according to the agency.

In early October, NASA officials met with representatives from Uzbekistan's Ministry of Digital Technologies and Uzbekistan's space agency Uzcosmos during the 2026 International Astronautical Congress in Antalya, Türkiye. Uzbekistan is scheduled to host the annual global space event in 2028.

In 2020, NASA and the State Department joined with seven other founding nations to establish the Artemis Accords. They introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at enhancing the safety and coordination between nations as they explore the Moon, Mars, and beyond.