The Kremlin dismissed the head of Russia's space agency on Thursday following a tenure of less than three years marked by the failure of Russia's first moon mission in 47 years. Yuri Borisov, who had led Roscosmos since July 2022, was succeeded by Dmitry Bakanov, a former deputy transport minister with experience in the satellite industry.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov clarified that Borisov's replacement was due to a "rotation" for the dynamic development of the corporation. Despite the recent setbacks, Russia aims to launch its own orbital space station to replace the aging International Space Station (ISS) and pursue various projects in space.
The outgoing leader, Borisov, had set ambitious goals for the future, including maintaining a continuous crewed presence in space and undertaking projects that were not feasible on the ISS. The change in leadership comes amidst concerns about potential weaponization of space as major powers, including Russia and the U.S., navigate the expiration of key nuclear weapon agreements.
Bakanov, the newly appointed head, brings experience from leading a company involved in Russian satellite communications. His predecessor, Borisov, a former deputy defense minister, had endorsed plans for Russia's future space endeavors, despite the failed Luna-25 mission in August 2023.