A veteran Russian cosmonaut has been abruptly removed from a forthcoming NASA mission to the International Space Station following allegations he breached strict US arms trafficking laws at a SpaceX facility.
The Alleged Security Breach in California
Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, 54, is accused of using his mobile phone to photograph classified documents and rocket equipment inside the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, in late November. He allegedly then removed the images from the building, an act constituting an unauthorised export of sensitive information.
Artemyev was in the United States preparing for the SpaceX Crew-12 mission, a NASA-led flight to the ISS scheduled for early 2026. He has now been replaced on the crew by fellow Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
Official Story Versus Serious Allegations
Russia's state space corporation, Roscosmos, stated the change was due to 'Artemyev's transfer to another job.' However, reports from within Russia suggest a far more serious reason.
It is claimed Artemyev violated the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), a stringent set of US State Department rules controlling the export of defence-related technology and data. The Russian investigative outlet The Insider reported an international probe has been launched.
Space industry analyst Georgy Trishkin stated on Telegram that a 'serious violation' of ITAR occurred, confirming via contacts that an interdepartmental investigation is underway. 'It's very difficult to imagine a situation in which an experienced cosmonaut could inadvertently commit such a gross violation,' he remarked.
Potential Consequences and Fallout
If proven, the allegations carry severe penalties. Violations of ITAR can result in:
- Civil fines exceeding $1 million per violation.
- Criminal penalties of up to 20 years in prison if espionage intent is established.
- Bans from future US government contracts, including work with NASA and SpaceX.
Trishkin noted the swift, unannounced removal of Artemyev less than three months before the mission lent credibility to the claims. He also suggested NASA was attempting to keep the scandal from public view.
The incident threatens to strain the crucial partnership between NASA and Roscosmos, likely leading to increased monitoring of Russian personnel at US space facilities. While there is no current claim the alleged act was intended to harm the US, proving intent to deliver information to a foreign government would elevate the case to espionage.
A highly experienced astronaut, Artemyev has completed three long-duration missions to the ISS in 2014, 2018, and 2022, logging 560 total days in space. The 2026 flight would have been his first aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule. The Daily Mail has contacted both NASA and SpaceX for comment.
