Vietnam becomes 78th Artemis Accords signatory
- Vietnam became the 78th country to sign the Artemis Accords.
- Minister of Science and Technology Vũ Hải Quân signed the accord at an event in Ha Long.
- The Artemis Accords were established by NASA and the State Department in 2020.
- Vietnam's signing is linked to its National Space Center and NASA partnership.
- The accords cover peaceful exploration, transparency, scientific data access, and lunar heritage.
What happened
Vietnam has signed the Artemis Accords, becoming the 78th signatory. Minister of Science and Technology Vũ Hải Quân signed the accord during an event in Ha Long.
What we know
Vietnam is the 78th signatory of the Artemis Accords. The agreement was signed by Vũ Hải Quân, who serves as Minister of Science and Technology.
The signing event was associated with Vietnam International Digital Week and took place in Ha Long. Jennifer Wicks, the United States Ambassador to Vietnam, participated.
The U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is described as extending into a new frontier after more than 30 years of cooperation. It spans defense, economic, law enforcement, war legacy, and technological cooperation, and is tied to advancing peace, stability, and prosperity in a free and open Indo-Pacific.
NASA and the State Department established the Artemis Accords in 2020, along with seven other founding nations. The accords were created in response to growing interest in lunar activities and described as the first practical principles for safety and coordination on the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
The principles cover peaceful and transparent exploration, aiding people in need, enabling access to scientific data, avoiding interference with others, and preserving historically significant sites and artifacts.
Vietnam inaugurated the National Space Center in Hanoi and is developing domestic satellite capabilities. The center partners with NASA and has made progress in satellite development, land-use research, and radar-based Earth observation.
Why it matters
Vietnam's signature adds to a growing coalition committed to peaceful, transparent, and responsible exploration. For lunar-industry tracking, the accords matter because they are described as the first practical principles for safety and coordination on the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
The country also has institutional groundwork: a National Space Center in Hanoi, domestic satellite capability development, and a NASA partnership. The U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is described as extending into a new frontier after more than 30 years of cooperation.
What's next
More countries are expected to sign the Artemis Accords.
Sources
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