ROME, October 25. /Dunyo IA/.   Uzbekistan has joined the Artemis Accords, becoming the 77^th country to endorse the international principles governing the peaceful exploration of the Moon and other celestial bodies, reports Dunyo IA correspondent, citing with the Italian space news outlet “Astrospace”.

Signing ceremony took place in Samarkand during the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The document was signed on behalf of Uzbekistan by Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov.

Uzbekistan is the first country to join the Accords since San Marino signed them on September 25^th, 2026. While 59 countries had signed the document by the end of 2025, the total has now reached 77, with 18 countries joining the initiative in 2026.

NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson welcomed Uzbekistan’s decision, noting that it comes at a pivotal stage in the development of the U.S. space program. According to Anderson, US President Donald Trump has tasked NASA with building a lunar base and establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon’s surface.

He also emphasized that the practical implementation of the “Artemis” Accords’ principles creates additional opportunities for countries seeking to contribute to humanity’s return to the Moon.

In recent years, Uzbekistan has embarked on a national space programme aimed at developing domestic technologies and expanding international cooperation in the space sector.

One promising project is the development of the country’s first “CubeSat”, a small satellite. Uzbek students are working on the project with university involvement and its launch is planned by 2028.

Signing of the “Artemis” Accords came just weeks after the first official meeting between representatives of Uzbekistan and NASA. In early October, on the sidelines of the 2026 International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Antalya, Türkiye, NASA representatives held talks with delegations from Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Digital Technologies and its national space agency, “Uzcosmos”.

“Artemis” Accords were launched in 2020 by NASA and the US Department of State, together with seven founding countries, including Italy, amid growing interest among governments and private companies in lunar exploration.

Accords are not a legally binding international treaty. Rather, they establish a set of practical principles for exploring the Moon, Mars and other areas of outer space, building on the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.

Under the Accords, signatory countries commit to conducting space activities for peaceful and transparent purposes, providing assistance to people in danger, making scientific data accessible and avoiding interference with the activities of other participants. Particular emphasis is placed on protecting space objects and sites of historical significance.

As part of its lunar base programme, NASA has also invited all signatories to contribute to lunar exploration. Potential areas of involvement include providing scientific payloads, demonstrating new technologies, developing “CubeSats” and undertaking other research projects.

Uzbekistan’s accession to the “Artemis” Accords broadens its opportunities to participate in international space initiatives as it advances its own satellite programme and prepares to host one of the world’s major space industry events in Samarkand in 2028.