Uzbekistan Joins Artemis Accords Coalition

Uzbekistan became the 77th signatory of the Artemis Accords on Monday, October 19, 2026, when Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov signed the pact in Samarkand during Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit, NASA said.

The Accords are a set of shared rules for civil space exploration. NASA's release gives no clock time for the ceremony, so none is reported here.

What NASA says

NASA's release says Saidov signed on behalf of Uzbekistan and that the signing took place during Rubio's visit. It says the country is committing to "the practical principles that guide safe, transparent, and responsible civil space exploration."

NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson put the moment in the context of the agency's Moon plans. "President Trump has directed NASA to build a Moon Base and establish an enduring presence on the lunar surface," Anderson said in the release. He called Uzbekistan "a welcome addition to this growing coalition."

The release spells out what signing means. Countries commit to the following:

- Explore peaceably and openly.
- Render aid to those in need.
- Make scientific data available so everyone can learn from it.
- Make sure their activities do not interfere with those of others.
- Preserve historically significant sites and artifacts by developing best practices.

Who Uzbekistan is in space

NASA describes Uzbekistan as increasingly active in the space world. The release says the country is developing a national space program meant to build up its space industry and its role in global space forums.

Here is the detail worth noticing. According to NASA, Uzbek students are working to develop and launch the country's first CubeSat by 2028. A CubeSat is a small satellite used to test technology. NASA's release says Uzbekistan is also scheduled to host the annual global space event in 2028. The release does not name the event, but it comes right after the account of the International Astronautical Congress, so the reader can draw the likely link.

The two sides had talked recently. NASA says that in early October its officials met representatives of Uzbekistan's Ministry of Digital Technologies and of its space agency, Uzcosmos, at the 2026 International Astronautical Congress in Antalya, Türkiye. They discussed civil space cooperation and ways to work together more.

Context

NASA says the Accords began in 2020, when NASA and the State Department joined with seven other founding nations. The release says they were a response to growing interest in lunar activity from both governments and private companies. NASA calls them the first set of practical principles aimed at improving safety and coordination between nations exploring the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Uzbekistan's signing follows others this year. The State Department announced Latvia's signing in a release dated April 20, 2026, and Serbia's in one dated July 16, 2026.

What the Accords do not do is also worth saying plainly. They are a set of principles that countries commit to. The release describes them that way, and it does not describe any enforcement body.

What is next

NASA says more countries are expected to sign in the months and years ahead. The release names no countries and gives no dates, so those are not known. On the Uzbek side, the first CubeSat is planned for launch by 2028, per NASA, and Uzbekistan is scheduled to host the global space event that same year. The 77th name is on the list, and NASA expects the list to keep growing.

Stay curious.

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