Croatia signs Artemis Accords with US, joining global space exploration effort

(Photo: Ministarstvo znanosti, obrazovanja i mladih)

ZAGREB, 23 September 2026 (Croatia Week) – Croatia has officially joined the Artemis Accords, signing an agreement with the United States that sets out principles for international cooperation in the peaceful exploration and use of the Moon, Mars, comets and asteroids.

The agreements were signed in Zagreb on Wednesday by Croatian Minister of Science, Education and Youth Radovan Fuchs. The ceremony was attended by US Ambassador to Croatia Nicole McGraw, NASA representative for Europe Gregory Mann and Hrvoje Meštrić, Director of the Ministry’s Directorate for Science and Technology.

The signing places Croatia within a growing international framework focused on safe, transparent and sustainable civil space exploration.

The Artemis Accords were established by NASA and the US Department of State in 2020 as a set of common principles for countries involved in civil exploration of the Moon and other celestial bodies. They build on existing international space law, including the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.

(Photo: Ministarstvo znanosti, obrazovanja i mladih)

The principles cover a range of issues including peaceful exploration, transparency, interoperability between systems, emergency assistance, the release of scientific data, protection of historic sites and artefacts, the use of space resources, coordination of activities and the mitigation of orbital debris.

For Croatia, the agreement provides a framework for greater participation in international cooperation in civil space research and exploration.

Minister Fuchs said Croatia’s accession confirmed the country’s commitment to international cooperation in the peaceful use of space and to activities carried out in accordance with international law.

He said membership would give Croatia an opportunity to participate more actively in the exchange of knowledge, the development of good practices and international discussions about the future governance of space activities.

US Ambassador Nicole McGraw said the agreement demonstrated how science and technology could further strengthen cooperation between Croatia and the United States, adding that the US looked forward to working with Croatia to turn the principles of the Artemis Accords into practical progress and deeper scientific cooperation.

(Photo: Ministarstvo znanosti, obrazovanja i mladih)

NASA established the Artemis Accords in 2020 as interest in lunar activities grew among governments and private companies. The framework is intended to improve coordination between participating countries as space exploration expands towards the Moon, Mars and beyond.

The international group has expanded rapidly in 2026. Serbia became the 69th signatory in July, while Türkiye joined as the 71st in August. Albania became the 73rd country to sign on 21 September, meaning Croatia’s accession brings the total to 74 signatories.

The Adriatic Aerospace Association welcomed Croatia’s accession, describing it as an important step for the country’s developing space sector. The association said the agreement could strengthen international cooperation, support Croatian science and innovation, and create opportunities for domestic high-tech industry and education. It also highlighted the Artemis framework as a practical complement to existing international space-law principles and expressed support for further cooperation on future Croatian space initiatives.