Cosmonaut Artemyev excluded from Crew-12 for photographing SpaceX documents
9 days ago
- #Space
- #NASA
- #Russia
- Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev was removed from the Crew-12 mission months before the launch to the ISS.
- Andrei Fedyaev will replace Artemyev, reportedly due to violations of ITAR export controls involving photographing SpaceX documentation.
- An interdepartmental investigation has been launched, with sources confirming the violation occurred.
- NASA reportedly wants to avoid publicity around the scandal involving Artemyev.
- Artemyev allegedly photographed SpaceX engines and internal materials, then removed them from the SpaceX base in Hawthorne, California.
- Roscosmos stated Artemyev was replaced due to 'transition to another job,' but independent sources suggest the ITAR violation as the real reason.
- Artemyev, a 54-year-old experienced cosmonaut with three spaceflights totaling 560 days, is also a Moscow City Duma deputy from United Russia.
- The Crew-12 mission launch is scheduled for February 15, 2026.
- ITAR regulates the export of U.S. military technologies, and violations are taken seriously.