Uzbekistan became the 77th signatory of the Artemis Accords during a ceremony in Samarkand, NASA announced on October 20, 2026. Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov signed on behalf of the country during a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, committing Uzbekistan to the practical principles guiding safe, transparent and responsible civil space exploration.

NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson said Uzbekistan joins at a pivotal moment, citing a directive from President Trump to build a Moon Base and establish an enduring lunar presence. Uzbekistan has been developing a national space program, and Uzbek students are working to develop and launch the country's first CubeSat by 2028. In early October, NASA officials met representatives of Uzbekistan's Ministry of Digital Technologies and its space agency, Uzcosmos, at the 2026 International Astronautical Congress in Antalya, Türkiye. Uzbekistan is scheduled to host the annual global space event in 2028.

NASA and the State Department established the Accords in 2020 with seven other founding nations. Signatories commit to peaceful and transparent exploration, rendering aid to those in need, sharing scientific data, avoiding interference with others' activities and preserving historically significant sites and artifacts.