SpaceX Crew-12 Cosmonaut removed over national security violation

SpaceX has removed a Russian astronaut from the company’s upcoming mission after a reported breach of US national security regulations.

According to early media reports, Crew-12 Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos was originally expected to join SpaceX’s next four-member mission to the International Space Station (ISS), scheduled for launch in early 2026. 

However, officials confirmed he has now been quietly replaced by fellow Russian flyer Andrei Fedyayev, citing only a “transfer to another job.”

Behind the scenes, however, the situation appears far more serious. The Insider reported that the Crew-12 Cosmonaut was allegedly removed for violating ITAR, a strict US law designed to protect sensitive technology. 

Artemyev is accused of photographing SpaceX documents and engine components during training at the company’s Hawthorne, California headquarters, and then attempting to export that material using his phone.

Launch analyst Gregory Trishkin told the outlet that an interdepartmental investigation is already underway, calling the last-minute removal a major red flag.

SpaceX and NASA have yet to respond to inquiries, but the incident has sparked fresh scrutiny over cross-national astronaut training and the future of Crew-12 Cosmonaut collaborations amid rising geopolitical tensions.