Uzbekistan Joins Artemis Accords as 77th Signatory, Marking Major Step in Central Asia’s Space Engagement

Uzbekistan has officially joined the Artemis Accords, becoming the 77th nation to sign on to the U.S.-led framework for civil space exploration. The agreement was finalized Monday during a ceremony in Samarkand, where the Central Asian nation committed to a set of operational principles meant to support safe, open, and responsible activity beyond Earth.

NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson framed Uzbekistan’s decision as coming at a consequential point for the agency’s lunar ambitions. He said the country’s accession coincides with an intensified U.S. push to expand operations on the Moon, noting that President Donald Trump has directed NASA to build a Moon base and maintain a lasting presence on the lunar surface. As NASA and partner nations move from signing principles to applying them in real missions, Anderson said, the Accords are designed to widen participation by countries that share similar approaches to transparency and peaceful exploration.

Uzbekistan’s foreign minister, Bakhtiyor Saidov, signed the document on the nation’s behalf. The ceremony took place during a trip to the country by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, underscoring the diplomatic dimension of the agreement as nations position themselves for a rapidly growing era of lunar activity.

The signing also reflects Uzbekistan’s expanding interest in space. The government is building a national space program aimed at developing domestic space capabilities while increasing its role in international space discussions. One concrete project already underway is a student-led effort to design and launch the country’s first CubeSat—a compact satellite typically used for technology demonstrations—targeted for 2028.

NASA and Uzbek officials have been in talks about deeper cooperation. In early October, NASA representatives met with Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Digital Technologies and the country’s space agency, Uzcosmos, at the 2026 International Astronautical Congress in Antalya, Türkiye. According to NASA, those discussions covered civil-space collaboration and ways to expand engagement. Uzbekistan is also slated to host the annual International Astronautical Congress in 2028, placing it at the center of one of the sector’s largest global gatherings.

First introduced in 2020 by NASA and the U.S. State Department together with seven other founding nations, the Artemis Accords were crafted in response to intensifying interest in lunar exploration from both governments and private companies. The Accords lay out practical guidelines meant to improve safety, predictability, and coordination as countries pursue missions to the Moon, Mars, and other destinations.

By signing, nations commit to conduct exploration for peaceful purposes and with openness; to assist others in distress; to share scientific data so its benefits extend broadly; to avoid harmful interference with other actors’ activities; and to protect historically significant locations and objects in space by developing and applying best practices. NASA expects additional countries to join in the coming months and years as the coalition grows around a shared vision for future exploration.

Why it matters

With more nations planning lunar missions, common rules of the road are increasingly important for avoiding conflict and reducing operational risk. Uzbekistan’s entry strengthens its standing in international space cooperation while signaling ambitions to grow its domestic space ecosystem. The next indicator to watch is whether new signatories translate these commitments into joint missions, data-sharing arrangements, and coordinated activity on and around the Moon.