Russia Names New Chief of Roscosmos
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Synopsis
Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Dmitry Bakanov as the new director general of Roscosmos, replacing Yury Borisov. The change is part of a planned rotation aimed at ensuring dynamic development for the space corporation.
Key Takeaways
- Dmitry Bakanov is the new chief of Roscosmos.
- He previously served as deputy minister of transport.
- The appointment follows the tenure of Yury Borisov.
- Roscosmos faced challenges, including the failure of the Luna 25 mission.
- Officials cite the change as necessary for dynamic development.
Moscow, Feb 7 (NationPress) Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Dmitry Bakanov as the new director general of Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos, succeeding Yury Borisov, as announced by the Kremlin on its official Telegram channel.
Prior to this role, the 39-year-old Bakanov held the position of deputy minister of transport, where he concentrated on innovations, particularly in unmanned transport systems, according to Xinhua news agency.
From 2011 to 2019, he managed the Gonets satellite system company before transitioning to the Ministry of Transport. Borisov had been at the helm of Roscosmos since 2022, following Dmitry Rogozin.
Before leading the space agency, he was deputy prime minister with oversight of the technological and defense sectors, and previously served as deputy minister of defense.
During Borisov's 2.5-year tenure, Roscosmos experienced the failure of Luna 25, the first moon mission in modern Russian history, in August 2023.
The last successful Russian moon launch was Luna 24 in 1976 during the Soviet era. Under Borisov's leadership, Roscosmos faced challenges including corruption scandals, loss of satellites, and a lack of innovation, as reported by The Moscow Times, an independent newspaper based in Amsterdam.
However, Russian officials describe Borisov's exit as a part of a planned rotation. Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, stated, "The corporation needs dynamic development, which is why these personnel changes are taking place," according to The Moscow Times.
Bakanov, born in Leninsk (now Baikonur) in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic in 1985, graduated from St. Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance with an economics degree in 2007.
Meanwhile, Bill Nelson, NASA administrator, along with NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, stepped down concurrently with the start of Donald Trump's second presidential term.
Trump appointed Janet Petro, previously the director of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, as NASA's interim chief. Petro is notable for being the first woman to lead NASA since its establishment in 1958.
"Janet Petro is NASA’s acting administrator. In this role, Petro is responsible for directing the agency, including budget and programs, until a new administrator is confirmed by the US Senate," NASA stated.
Additionally, Trump nominated entrepreneur and commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman for the NASA administrator position in December 2024.
