Space · Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Uzbekistan signs the Artemis Accords as the 77th country

The File desk · Oct. 21, 2026, 6:40 a.m. ET

Confirmed1 primary sources

Status

Confirmed from NASA's release posted Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, at 10:21 a.m. Eastern. The ceremony was Monday in Samarkand, during Secretary Rubio's visit.

Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov signed at a ceremony in Samarkand on Monday, during a visit by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Uzbekistan became the 77th country to sign , NASA said Tuesday.¹

NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson said, “Uzbekistan joins at a pivotal moment.” The release describes the accords as principles for exploring “peaceably and transparently,” rendering aid, sharing scientific data, avoiding interference with others, and preserving historic sites. NASA says the accords began in 2020 with NASA, the State Department, and seven other founding nations. They are not a treaty that needs Senate ratification. That last point is the way NASA describes them: a set of principles, not a statute.¹

Why it matters (Estimate). Estimate. The accords are the rules of the road NASA wants partners to accept for the Moon, including who helps whom and who shares data. Another signature does not put a Uzbek crew on a rocket. It adds a government to that list while the secretary of state was in the country.¹

The release also says Uzbek students are working toward the country's first small satellite by 2028, and that Uzbekistan is scheduled to host a global space meeting that year. The photo on the NASA page was not used.

How we know

What this is

Legal instrument
Artemis Accords
A non-binding set of principles, started by NASA and the State Department with founding partners in 2020, that commits signatory countries to peaceful, transparent, and cooperative civil space exploration and to sharing scientific data. San Marino became the 76th signatory on Sept. 25, 2026, in Rimini. Uzbekistan became the 77th on Oct. 19, 2026, in Samarkand.
NASA: Uzbekistan Artemis Accords signatory
A non-binding set of principles for civil space exploration, begun in 2020 by NASA, the State Department, and seven other founding nations. Signers commit to peaceful, transparent activity, aid, sharing scientific data, avoiding interference, and preserving historic sites. NASA said on Oct. 20, 2026, that Uzbekistan became the 77th signatory.

Notes

1.NASA, “NASA Welcomes Uzbekistan as Newest
Legal instrument
Artemis Accords
A non-binding set of principles, started by NASA and the State Department with founding partners in 2020, that commits signatory countries to peaceful, transparent, and cooperative civil space exploration and to sharing scientific data. San Marino became the 76th signatory on Sept. 25, 2026, in Rimini. Uzbekistan became the 77th on Oct. 19, 2026, in Samarkand.
NASA: Uzbekistan Artemis Accords signatory
Signatory,” datePublished 2026-10-20T10:21:42-04:00, which is 10:21 a.m. Eastern. Re-opened for this edition. https://www.nasa.gov/organizations/oiir/artemis-accords/nasa-welcomes-uzbekistan-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/ “The Republic of Uzbekistan became the 77th signatory of
Legal instrument
Artemis Accords
A non-binding set of principles, started by NASA and the State Department with founding partners in 2020, that commits signatory countries to peaceful, transparent, and cooperative civil space exploration and to sharing scientific data. San Marino became the 76th signatory on Sept. 25, 2026, in Rimini. Uzbekistan became the 77th on Oct. 19, 2026, in Samarkand.
NASA: Uzbekistan Artemis Accords signatory
during a ceremony in Samarkand on Monday.” Bakhtiyor Saidov signed “during a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.” Matt Anderson: “Uzbekistan joins
Legal instrument
Artemis Accords
A non-binding set of principles, started by NASA and the State Department with founding partners in 2020, that commits signatory countries to peaceful, transparent, and cooperative civil space exploration and to sharing scientific data. San Marino became the 76th signatory on Sept. 25, 2026, in Rimini. Uzbekistan became the 77th on Oct. 19, 2026, in Samarkand.
NASA: Uzbekistan Artemis Accords signatory
at a pivotal moment.” The release says that in 2020 NASA and the State Department joined with seven other founding nations, and that signatories commit to explore peaceably and transparently, render aid, share scientific data, avoid interference, and preserve historically significant sites. No photo is used.

What is still unknown or disputed

What practical project, if any, follows the signature is not stated beyond the students' satellite and the 2028 meeting.

Primary sources

Every claim in this story is drawn from the documents below. If a fetch failed, that is recorded on the card.

Source 1
NASA Welcomes Uzbekistan as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory
NASA · October 20, 2026
The Republic of Uzbekistan became the 77th signatory of
Legal instrument
Artemis Accords
A non-binding set of principles, started by NASA and the State Department with founding partners in 2020, that commits signatory countries to peaceful, transparent, and cooperative civil space exploration and to sharing scientific data. San Marino became the 76th signatory on Sept. 25, 2026, in Rimini. Uzbekistan became the 77th on Oct. 19, 2026, in Samarkand.
NASA: Uzbekistan Artemis Accords signatory
during a ceremony in Samarkand on Monday.
https://www.nasa.gov/organizations/oiir/artemis-accords/nasa-welcomes-uzbekistan-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/

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Uzbekistan signs the Artemis Accords as the 77th country

Notes

What is still unknown or disputed

Primary sources

NASA Welcomes Uzbekistan as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory

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