Vietnam signs Artemis Accords as 78th member nation
On October 28, 2026, NASA announced that Vietnam became the 78th nation to sign the Artemis Accords. The agreement was signed by Vietnam’s Minister of Science and Technology Vũ Hải Quân during Vietnam International Digital Week in Ha Long, with United States Ambassador Jennifer Wicks attending. The Artemis Accords, established in 2020 by the United States and seven partner nations, set practical principles for civil space exploration. These include peaceful operations, open data sharing, and emergency aid during missions to the Moon and Mars. For the public, expanding the group helps standardize safety and ensures research data remains accessible to all. Vietnam is building its domestic space work through the National Space Center in Hanoi and the LOTUSat satellite program. The signing broadens more than 30 years of cooperation between the two countries into space exploration.
What was announced
On October 28, 2026, NASA announced that Vietnam signed the Artemis Accords, bringing the total count of signatory countries to 78.
Vietnam’s Minister of Science and Technology Vũ Hải Quân signed the document during the Vietnam International Digital Week event in Ha Long. United States Ambassador to Vietnam Jennifer Wicks attended the ceremony, while NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson delivered recorded remarks.
The guidelines, established in 2020 by NASA and the United States Department of State alongside seven other founding nations, set standards for civil activity on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Signatories commit to peaceful actions, emergency assistance, open sharing of scientific findings, avoiding interference with others, and protecting historical landing sites and artifacts.
What it means
The agreement adds space exploration to the bilateral partnership between the United States and Vietnam, which has spanned more than 30 years across defense, trade, law enforcement, and technology.
Vietnam has been growing its own space sector. The nation recently opened its National Space Center in Hanoi and is developing satellites under its LOTUSat program for weather tracking, disaster management, and Earth observation.
Earlier in 2026, NASA teamed up with the Vietnamese-German University to collect ground data for the Soil Moisture Active Passive mission, which tracks soil moisture across the planet. NASA and the Vietnam National Space Center have also worked together on radar observations and land-use research. By joining the accords, Vietnam aligns its expanding space program with the operational rules accepted by NASA and dozens of partner governments.
What the announcement does not tell us
Specific new missions, hardware contributions, and joint funding amounts are not mentioned in the announcement. While the text references past and ongoing work on LOTUSat and soil moisture tracking, it does not state whether Vietnamese hardware or personnel will take part in upcoming Artemis flights.
Enforcement details are also absent. The document does not describe how these voluntary principles will be upheld if disputes occur between signatories. Finally, NASA did not specify which countries are set to join next, noting only that additional nations are expected to sign in the coming months and years.
How this was written
This analysis was written with AI from the official announcement below, using only facts that announcement states. The quoted wording is NASA News Releases’s own. Always check the original before acting on anything here.
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam became the 78th nation to sign the Artemis Accords, joining a growing coalition of like-minded nations committed to the peaceful, transparent, and responsible exploration of space. “Vietnam is joining at an important point in the development of its own space program,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson in recorded remarks […]
Opens www.nasa.gov
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