SpaceX Crew 12 mission launches four astronauts to ISS for vital research and collaboration

SpaceX and NASA marked a significant milestone in commercial human spaceflight on Friday, February 13, 2026, with the flawless launch of the Crew-12 mission. A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, carrying four astronauts aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft “Resilience,” bound for the International Space Station (ISS).

The launch comes after Crew-11’s early return in January due to an undisclosed medical emergency, leaving the station’s crew reduced. Crew-12’s mission is crucial in maintaining a continuous human presence aboard the ISS, conducting important scientific research while supporting the station’s operations.

Who is in the crew?

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway serve as spacecraft commander and pilot, respectively, on the Crew-12 mission. They are joined by ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, who will serve as mission specialists. This diverse team of four represents three space agencies and will spend around 240 days, almost eight months, in orbit.

Their extended stay surpasses the usual six-month duration, designed to ensure ongoing operations at the ISS, especially in light of the medical-related splashdown of Crew-11 on January 15. During their mission, Crew-12 will join the Expedition 74 crew already aboard the space station.

The mission of Crew-12

Crew-12 will focus on over 300 microgravity experiments across various fields, including biotechnology, fluid physics, and materials science, studies critical for NASA’s Artemis lunar missions and the upcoming Mars exploration. They will work on growing protein crystals for cancer research, testing radiation shielding for deep-space travel, and advancing Earth observation for climate studies.

The mission also brings significant spin-offs for Earth, such as advancements in medical diagnostics and fire suppression technologies.

On February 12, mission managers cleared the stack after overcoming weather delays, setting the stage for a scheduled autonomous docking with the ISS Harmony module on Saturday, February 14. Meanwhile, the Falcon 9 first-stage booster successfully landed at Landing Zone 1 just seven minutes after liftoff, marking its 15th flight and showcasing SpaceX’s reusable rocket reliability.