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Uzbekistan signs Artemis Accords, adding a new partner to civil space principles
Uzbekistan became the 77th signatory to the Artemis Accords during a ceremony in Samarkand on 19 October 2026, according to NASA, joining countries that have endorsed principles for safe and transparent civil space exploration.
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A signing in Samarkand
NASA reported on 20 October 2026 that Uzbekistan had joined the Artemis Accords at a ceremony held in Samarkand the previous day. Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov signed on behalf of Uzbekistan during a visit by United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The accession brings the number of signatories reported by NASA to 77. The accords began in 2020 as a set of practical principles intended to help governments and private-sector participants coordinate their increasingly complex civil activities in space.
What the accords actually cover
The principles emphasize peaceful exploration, transparency, the release of scientific information, providing assistance to people in distress, avoiding harmful interference and preserving significant historical sites and artifacts. They reinforce the importance of existing international space law and cooperation among participating countries.
Signing does not itself create a spacecraft, assign a lunar landing or guarantee access to a particular mission. It is a statement of commitment to shared conduct, and individual programmes still depend on their own planning, resources and agreements.
Uzbekistan's wider space ambitions
NASA linked the new accession to Uzbekistan's effort to develop a national space programme. Its announcement also described plans involving Uzbek students seeking to develop and launch a first CubeSat technology demonstration by 2028.
NASA said officials had met Uzbek digital technology and space-agency representatives during the 2026 International Astronautical Congress. Future cooperation can take several forms, but the signing announcement did not specify a new funded joint mission or a firm satellite launch contract.