Oleg Artemiev, a veteran Russian cosmonaut, has been excluded from a future SpaceX mission to the International Space Station due to allegations of improper handling of sensitive technical materials. According to The Moscow Times, Artemiev allegedly photographed and stole restricted documents from the SpaceX training center in Hawthorne, California. The incident has led to the opening of an interagency investigation, according to the investigative agency The Insider.
Analyst Georgi Trișkin emphasized that it is hard to imagine an experienced cosmonaut committing such a mistake unintentionally. Additionally, a Telegram channel dedicated to the space industry confirmed that Artemiev was excluded from the mission last week after he photographed SpaceX engines and other materials regulated by U.S. export law.