Russian Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev Removed from Upcoming Space Mission for Alleged Espionage
Oleg Artemyev faces dismissal from his role in an imminent ISS mission after allegedly leaking confidential SpaceX documents.
Oleg Artemyev, a 54-year-old Russian cosmonaut, has been removed from an upcoming mission to the International Space Station (ISS) after reportedly leaking sensitive information related to SpaceX.
Artemyev, who had been training as part of the twelve-member crew set to launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in February 2026, was dismissed following allegations that he took photographs of SpaceX rocket engines and proprietary documents with his personal phone.
Reports indicate that Artemyev's actions may have violated regulations concerning the export of military technologies and weapons from the United States without proper authorization.
The situation has prompted the United States authorities to initiate an investigation into the matter.
SpaceX personnel, who are currently conducting training exercises in California, had reported Artemyev’s actions.
An analyst in the field of space exploration, Gregory Trishkin, disclosed the situation on his Telegram channel, noting that NASA has requested to minimize publicity surrounding the incident to avoid an international scandal.
NASA's effort to downplay the story reflects the sensitive nature of cooperation in space exploration, particularly amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions.
In response to Artemyev's actions, the Russian space agency Roscosmos publicly announced that fellow cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev has been assigned to replace him in the mission.
Fedyaev will be stepping into the role originally slated for Artemyev, who has been transferred to another unspecified position within the agency.
Oleg Artemyev is considered one of Russia’s most experienced cosmonauts, having spent a total of 560 days in space across three previous missions to the ISS in 2014, 2018, and 2022.
In addition to his significant career in space exploration, Artemyev has been serving as a member of Moscow's city parliament since 2019, representing the ruling party, United Russia.
Artemyev, who had been training as part of the twelve-member crew set to launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in February 2026, was dismissed following allegations that he took photographs of SpaceX rocket engines and proprietary documents with his personal phone.
Reports indicate that Artemyev's actions may have violated regulations concerning the export of military technologies and weapons from the United States without proper authorization.
The situation has prompted the United States authorities to initiate an investigation into the matter.
SpaceX personnel, who are currently conducting training exercises in California, had reported Artemyev’s actions.
An analyst in the field of space exploration, Gregory Trishkin, disclosed the situation on his Telegram channel, noting that NASA has requested to minimize publicity surrounding the incident to avoid an international scandal.
NASA's effort to downplay the story reflects the sensitive nature of cooperation in space exploration, particularly amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions.
In response to Artemyev's actions, the Russian space agency Roscosmos publicly announced that fellow cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev has been assigned to replace him in the mission.
Fedyaev will be stepping into the role originally slated for Artemyev, who has been transferred to another unspecified position within the agency.
Oleg Artemyev is considered one of Russia’s most experienced cosmonauts, having spent a total of 560 days in space across three previous missions to the ISS in 2014, 2018, and 2022.
In addition to his significant career in space exploration, Artemyev has been serving as a member of Moscow's city parliament since 2019, representing the ruling party, United Russia.
