Croatia has become the 74th country to sign the Artemis Accords, an international framework setting principles for cooperation and responsible space exploration. The agreement was signed in Zagreb on Wednesday, September 23, by Minister of Science, Education and Youth Radovan Fuchs on behalf of the Republic of Croatia.

The ceremony was attended by U.S. Ambassador to Croatia Nicole McGraw and NASA’s representative for Europe Gregory Mann, while NASA Deputy Matt Anderson addressed participants in a pre-recorded message.

By joining the agreement, Croatia has aligned itself with countries supporting common principles for future activities on the Moon, Mars and beyond. These include peaceful and transparent exploration, assistance to those in need, access to scientific data, prevention of harmful interference and protection of historically significant sites and artefacts.

“Croatian scientists and companies are demonstrating growing interest in the space industry. We have therefore decided to expand our international cooperation by joining the Artemis Accords,” Fuchs said, adding that Croatia sees the agreement as an opportunity to develop its scientific community, introduce new technologies and strengthen the economy.

NASA also highlighted the launch of Croatia’s first satellite, CroCube, on December 21, 2024. It reached orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, marking an important step in the development of Croatia’s space activities.

The Artemis Accords were established in 2020 by NASA, the U.S. Department of State and seven other founding nations amid growing government and private-sector interest in lunar activities.

The agreement is not a separate space programme, but a set of practical principles intended to improve safety, transparency and coordination in space exploration.

NASA says participation can create additional opportunities for cooperation in future lunar exploration projects and other international space programmes. By signing, Croatia has formally joined one of the largest international initiatives linked to the future of civil space exploration.