Russian astronaut replaced in NASA, SpaceX mission launching in Florida

A Russian cosmonaut has been removed from the upcoming NASA and SpaceX mission to the International Space Station, set to launch from Florida. Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, confirmed the change but did not explain the reason behind it. Reports suggest the removal may be linked to an alleged breach of U.S. security rules during training in America.

This incident follows recent setbacks for Russias space program, including damage to its launch pad in Kazakhstan during a November launch.

Details on the Crew-12 Mission

The Crew-12 mission, planned for early 2026 from Floridas Space Coast, will carry a team of international astronauts for a six-month rotation at the ISS, including two American astronauts. Originally, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev was scheduled to join the mission, but Roscosmos announced that Andrei Fedyayev will take his place. Artemyev has been reassigned to a different role within the agency.

According to reports from independent Russian sources, Artemyev is accused of photographing and sharing sensitive SpaceX documents and technology during training in the United States. These claims have been cited by multiple outlets including Space.com and Gizmodo.

Crew-12 Mission Composition and Schedule

The mission will include four astronauts, with French ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot also part of the crew. Crew-12 is the eleventh human science mission under NASAs commercial crew program, which allows NASA to contract SpaceX for astronaut and cargo transport to orbit while focusing on lunar and Mars missions.

The mission is expected to launch around February 15, 2026, using a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center. Astronauts will travel aboard SpaceXs Dragon capsule, currently the only U.S. spacecraft capable of ferrying astronauts to the ISS.

Current ISS Occupants and Upcoming Crew Changes

Currently, ten astronauts are aboard the ISS, including NASAs Jonny Kim and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky. They are scheduled to return to Earth on December 8. Their places will be filled by NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Russians Sergey Mikaev and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov.

The station also hosts Crew-11 astronauts: NASAs Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui of JAXA, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, who arrived in August aboard a Dragon capsule launched via Falcon 9.

Author: Harper Simmons