Uzbekistan has signed the Artemis Accords, becoming the 77th country to join the international agreement on peaceful space exploration.

The agreement was signed following talks between Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to UzDaily.

Joining the Artemis Accords is expected to create new opportunities for Uzbekistan to expand cooperation with NASA and the space agencies of other signatory countries. Potential areas of collaboration include training national specialists for the space industry and transferring space technologies.

The Artemis Accords establish principles for international cooperation in the peaceful exploration and use of the Moon, Mars, comets and asteroids. The initiative aims to promote responsible, transparent and cooperative space exploration among participating nations.