Roscosmos Leaders Historic First U.S. Trip in Five Years for NASA Discussions

Dmitry Bakanov, the head of Roscosmos, has arrived in the United States for discussions with Sean Duffy, the acting administrator of NASA. This visit marks the first time since 2018 that a Russian space agency leader has traveled to the U.S., according to a statement from Roscosmos on Tuesday.

Bakanov arrived in Houston, Texas, earlier in the day, as reported by Roscosmos. His discussions with Duffy are expected to center around the continuation of a cross-flight agreement between NASA and Roscosmos, the extension of the International Space Station’s operational life, and plans for the safe deorbiting of the station.

Additionally, Bakanov is set to meet members of NASA’s Crew-11 mission, including cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, ahead of their planned launch on July 31 with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft. This mission will mark Platonov’s inaugural flight into space.

Bakanov will also take a tour of NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, along with the spacecraft manufacturing facilities operated by Boeing and SpaceX.

As of now, NASA has not publicly acknowledged the visit.

In 2018, the Biden administration briefly lifted an entry ban on former Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin, allowing him to visit the United States.