Dmitry Bakanov, the Director General of Roscosmos, the Russian state space corporation, recently concluded a significant visit to the United States. During his trip, he toured the Flight Control Center (FCC) for the American segment of the International Space Station (ISS).
The visit commenced with Bakanov and the Roscosmos delegation exploring the renowned Johnson Space Center. A primary focus of their itinerary was the FCC dedicated to managing the U.S. contributions to the orbiting outpost.
At the Houston-based FCC, Bakanov engaged in discussions with the key operational team responsible for overseeing the Russian segment of the ISS. This forward-deployed group maintains a presence in Houston to ensure seamless control of the Russian modules, particularly in scenarios where the primary FCC located in Korolev, near Moscow, might face operational constraints.
The delegation`s tour also included a visit to a facility housing a sophisticated ground-based simulator designed to replicate both Russian and American ISS segments, alongside a specialized space nutrition laboratory.
In addition, the Roscosmos leadership took the opportunity to meet with several Russian cosmonauts currently undergoing rigorous training for upcoming space missions: Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, Sergey Mikaev, and Petr Dubrov.
Roscosmos emphasized that all Russian cosmonauts undergo mandatory training at NASA before their expeditions to the ISS, focusing intensively on the American segment of the station. This reciprocal arrangement sees international astronauts receiving their training at the Cosmonaut Training Center in the Moscow region. Such cross-training is deemed crucial, ensuring every crew member possesses the necessary expertise to effectively respond to any unforeseen emergency situations in space.
Earlier reports indicated that Bakanov`s agenda for his U.S. visit was comprehensive, including a scheduled meeting with acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy. His itinerary also featured a tour of Boeing`s production facility for the Starliner spacecraft, an interaction with the Crew Dragon capsule`s crew (among whom is Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov), and the opportunity to observe a rocket launch.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth