Top astronaut removed from NASA mission after SpaceX 'classified' photos breach
A veteran Russian astronaut has been removed from an upcoming NASA mission after allegedly violating an international arms trafficking law.
Oleg Artemyev is said to have been accused of photographing classified documents and rocket equipment at a SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, California, and then 'smuggling' that information out of the building on his phone in late November.
The 54-year-old was scheduled to be part of the SpaceX Crew-12 mission, led by NASA, heading to the International Space Station (ISS) in early 2026.
He has been replaced by fellow cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, and Russia's official space agency Roscosmos said the change was made because of 'Artemyev's transfer to another job'.
However, other reports from Russia have said the move was made for much more serious reasons, claiming that Artemyev violated the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) by allegedly photographing and leaking the SpaceX materials.
ITAR is a set of US government rules that tightly control the export, sharing, or transmission of sensitive defense-related technologies, information, and items, including spacecraft components and technical blueprints.
Russian investigative outlet The Insider reported that an international probe has been launched into Artemyev's actions.
At the moment, there are no claims that the alleged incident took place in order to harm the US. However, the case would amount to espionage if it is proven that Artemyev collected the photos with the intent to deliver them to a foreign government to gain an advantage over the US.
Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev is believed to have been accused of photographing sensitive documents and equipment at the SpaceX facility in California
Artemyev was working at the SpaceX building in Hawthorne in preparation for Crew-12's 2026 mission to the International Space Station
The Daily Mail has reached out to NASA and SpaceX for comment regarding the allegations against Artemyev.
Russian media also reported that the cosmonaut has already been 'booted out of America' as space and national security officials investigate the alleged incident.
Space industry analyst Georgy Trishkin revealed on his Telegram channel that the veteran cosmonaut committed a 'serious violation' of the ITAR laws, which can carry both civil and criminal punishments if investigators were to determine he is guilty.
He added that the change was made with no official announcement by NASA or SpaceX, noting that the allegations seem credible since Artemyev was removed less than three months before the Crew-12 mission.
'My contacts confirm that a violation occurred and an interdepartmental investigation has been launched,' Trishkin told The Insider.
'It's very difficult to imagine a situation in which an experienced cosmonaut could inadvertently commit such a gross violation.'
The space industry expert also claimed that NASA was trying to make sure the scandal did not become public knowledge.
Artemyev had flown to the ISS on three previous missions, in 2014, 2018 and 2022. He has spent a total 560 days in space and performed eight spacewalks lasting over 53 hours. The 2026 mission would have been his first in the SpaceX Dragon Capsule.
Artemyev was removed from the 2026 mission to accept a 'transfer to another job', according to the Russian space agency Roscosmos
The Crew-12 SpaceX mission to the International Space Station is set to take off in early 2026, and another Russian cosmonaut has replaced Artemyev. Pictured: SpaceX's Dragon Capsule
The ITAR restrictions were created by the US Department of State in 1976 to protect national security by preventing unauthorized access to important data and equipment that could benefit enemy nations.
In this case, Artemyev is alleged to have violated the law because he is a foreign national illegally capturing images of materials deemed 'restricted' by the US government. Allegedly leaving SpaceX headquarters with those images on his phone would amount to 'exporting' the information without US government approval.
If the claims against Artemyev are proven to be true, breaking ITAR laws can lead to fines of more than $1million per violation.
In the most serious cases, where a violator is found to be committing espionage against the US, the State Department noted that criminal penalties include up to 20 years in prison.
Even in less serious cases, violators can also be banned from government contracts, including working with NASA and SpaceX on future missions.
If the incident is proven true, it could also strain joint missions between NASA and Roscosmos, as cosmonauts will likely face increased monitoring while they work at US-based facilities.
