--- title: "Head of Russian Space Program Touches Down in Texas" description: "The head of Russia's space agency Roscosmos, Dmitry Bokanov, arrived in Houston, Texas, to meet with the interim NASA administrator." date: "2025-07-30" modified: "2025-07-30" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/head-russian-space-program-nasa-visit" categories: - "Space" tags: - "donald trump" - "international space station" - "NASA" - "Roscosmos" - "Russia" --- # Head of Russian Space Program Touches Down in Texas ![The head of Russia's space agency Roscosmos, Dmitry Bokanov, arrived in Houston, Texas, to meet with the interim NASA administrator.]() *\Image: VYACHESLAV PROKOFYEV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images\* As US-Russia relations deteriorate — with president Donald Trump [escalating his economic policy threats]() to force a ceasefire deal with Ukraine — the two countries' [intertwined space exploration programs]() remain as strange as ever. Look no further than Texas, where the two nations' space agencies are looking to hang out in person. As [*Reuters* reports](), the head of Russia's space agency Roscosmos, Dmitry Bokanov, arrived in Houston this week to meet with interim NASA administrator and transportation secretary Sean Duffy. It's a notable event, considering it's the first time the agencies' heads have met in person since 2018 — highlighting the Trump administration's once-cozy relationship with the Kremlin. The relationship disintegrated throughout former president Joe Biden's term, [especially in light of Russia's unprompted invasion of Ukraine](), which drove a massive wedge between the nation and its international space partners. Since then, Trump, who has previously been [criticized for being "soft" on Russia](), has shifted the dynamics of US-Russia relations significantly. However, the president's relationship with Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, has [decayed lately](), once again raising questions over NASA's continued cooperation with Roscosmos. According to Russian state-run news agency *TASS*, Bokanov and Duffy "plan to discuss ongoing joint projects," including NASA and Roscosmos' astronaut flight-sharing program, the International Space Station's operations, and its eventual retirement. The last time the two agencies' heads met was when former NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine met then-Roscosmos lead Dmitry Rogozin at the Baikonur Cosmodrome seven years ago. The strained relationship between the two nations has complicated matters significantly, especially when it comes to joint space projects, such as the ISS. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Roscosmos appeared to be [on the verge of abandoning]() the orbital outpost altogether, [ultimately agreeing to stay on]() to see operations through until the end. The ISS, which has been continuously occupied for well over two decades, has been a key symbol of peaceful cooperation in space, but its [worrying signs of aging]() and planned disposal have proven divisive. NASA [signed a contract with Elon Musk's SpaceX]() last year to [develop a "US Deorbit Vehicle]()" that's designed to pull the aging orbital outpost out of its orbit, starting in 2030. Russia, however, [has been working on a backup plan](), involving a modified version of its Progress spacecraft. It remains to be seen how or whether Trump's latest attempts to force an imminent ceasefire in Ukraine will affect these plans. For now, both NASA astronauts and Russian cosmonauts are cooperating on board the space station, aiding each other in their [efforts to plug air leaks]() and keep operations chugging along. This week, Bokanov is getting the red carpet treatment and will visit NASA's Johnson Space Center and Boeing's production facility. He will also meet the crew of SpaceX's Crew-11 flight, which is scheduled to lift off on July 31, according to *Reuters*. It's an unusual and perhaps tentative sign that relations between NASA and Roscosmos could be on the mend. But given the president's growing impatience with Putin over the situation in Ukraine, who knows how long that mood will last. **More on NASA and Russia:** *[Russian Space Program Confirms Plans to Destroy Space Station]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()