--- title: "Russian Cosmonaut Runs Over Elderly Colleague" description: "Roscosmos has confirmed that one of its cosmonauts hit an elderly colleague with his car — mere weeks after returning from the International Space Station." date: "2022-10-18" modified: "2022-10-18" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/russian-cosmonaut-runs-over-colleague" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "cosmonauts" - "international space station" - "Roscosmos" - "the digest" --- # Russian Cosmonaut Runs Over Elderly Colleague ![Roscosmos has confirmed that one of its cosmonauts hit an elderly colleague with his car — mere weeks after returning from the International Space Station.]() *\Image: MAXIM SHIPENKOV/AFP via Getty Images\* ## Hit or Miss Russian space agency Roscosmos has confirmed that one of its cosmonauts hit an elderly colleague with his car — mere weeks after returning from the International Space Station. Per [a Roscosmos statement](), cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev "knocked down" a 63-year-old man, who, according to a translation of the official statement, was an employee of the Cosmonaut Training Center where Artemyev is also employed. The man was "hospitalized with fractures" after the incident. The news was later [confirmed by the *Associated Press*](). It's still unclear if Artemyev's recent return journey from the ISS played a factor. As [*Space.com* reports](), recent studies have shown that returning from space can impact an astronaut's ability to drive a car. ## Limited Visibility According to Roscosmos, "the accident occurred in conditions of limited visibility on a poorly lit road outside the pedestrian crossing zone," and that the cosmonaut didn't notice that the older man was crossing the street. The 51-year-old cosmonaut was sober at the time and administered first aid to the man before calling an ambulance. Roscosmos will "provide all necessary assistance to the family and the victim himself," according to the statement. ## Commanding Artemyev assumed commandership of the ISS back [in May 2022]() and spent the next 195 days on board the station. So far, he has spent 561 days in space over three missions. Along with commanding Expedition 67, Artemyev also [hosted a YouTube channel]() and [posted TikTok videos]() from on board the ISS and regularly updated his personal blog, "[Cosmonaut Notes]()," on his website. The cosmonaut has yet to post any statements of his own, so until either he or the victim comes forward, we'll have to take Roscosmos' word. **More on Russia:** *[China and Russia's Moon Base Alliance May Be Falling Apart]()* ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()