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SpaceX and NASA are set for the launch of the twelfth operational crew rotation mission to the Worldwide House Station beneath the Business Crew Program, Crew-12. Launching atop a Falcon 9 from Florida, Crew-12 will carry 4 new NASA, ESA, and Roscosmos crew members to the orbiting laboratory for an eight-month mission as a part of Expedition 74/75.
Liftoff is scheduled for five:15 AM EST (10:15 UTC) on Friday, Feb. 13, from House Launch Complicated 40 on the Cape Canaveral House Drive Station. Following stage separation, the primary stage booster will return to the Cape and land on the model new Touchdown Zone 40, a brand new touchdown zone positioned straight adjoining to the launch pad.
After separating from the Falcon 9 second stage, Crew Dragon Freedom and its four-person crew will orbit Earth for roughly 34 hours earlier than in the end docking to the Worldwide House Station (ISS) at 3:15 PM EST (20:15 UTC) on Friday, Feb. 14.
Crew-12’s crew and mission
Crew-12 includes a world four-person crew, that includes astronauts from NASA and the European House Company (ESA) and a cosmonaut from Russia’s Roscosmos.
The mission’s commander is NASA astronaut Jessica Meir. Born in Caribou, Maine, she attended Brown College for biology, in the end incomes a Bachelor of Arts diploma in biology in 1999. She would later earn a Grasp of Science in house research from the Worldwide House College and a doctorate in marine biology from the Scripps Establishment of Oceanography in 2009. Her analysis centered on the diving physiology of marine mammals and birds, significantly the oxygen depletion in diving emperor penguins and elephant seals. After receiving her doctorate, she labored as an Assistant Professor on the Harvard Medical Faculty/Massachusetts Basic Hospital.
From 2000 to 2003, Meir served as an experiment assist scientist for Lockheed Martin’s Human Analysis Facility on the Johnson House Heart. There, she supported human physiology analysis for House Shuttle and ISS missions, and took part within the fourth underwater NASA Excessive Surroundings Mission Operations (NEEMO) mission.
In 2009, Meir was chosen as a semi-finalist for NASA Astronaut Group 20, however was not chosen as a finalist. 4 years later, in 2013, she was chosen as one in every of eight astronaut candidates for NASA Astronaut Group 21, nicknamed “The 8 Balls.” Meir accomplished her coaching in 2015. After taking part within the ESA Cooperative Journey for Valuing and Exercising human behaviour and efficiency Expertise (CAVES) mission in 2016, Meir was assigned to Expedition 61/62 on the ISS, launching aboard Soyuz MS-15 in September 2019. She would spend 204 days on the orbiting laboratory, throughout which she participated within the first all-female spacewalk with fellow NASA astronaut and Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch. Crew-12 will function Meir’s second flight to house.
The official Crew-12 mission portrait and patch. From left to proper: Andrey Fedyaev, Jack Hathaway, Jessica Meir, and Sophie Adenot. (Credit score: NASA)
Serving as Crew-12’s pilot is NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway. Born in South Windsor, Connecticut, he attended the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated in 2004 with a bachelor’s diploma in physics and historical past. He subsequently joined the Navy and was assigned to Naval Air Station in Lemoore, California, after being designated a naval aviator in 2006. Hathaway would go on to assist Operation Enduring Freedom and different Western Pacific navy occasions as a part of Strike Fighter Squadron 14.
Hathaway later earned two grasp’s levels: one in flight dynamics from Cranfield College in 2014, and one other in nationwide safety and strategic research from the U.S. Naval Struggle Faculty. In the meantime, he was designated a developmental check pilot and centered on the F/A-18 fighter jet. After graduating along with his second grasp’s diploma, he was deployed in assist of Operation Inherent Resolve aboard the united statesTruman. In 2019, he could be assigned to the J-6 division of the Joint Chiefs of Employees on the Pentagon, the place he centered on tactical datalink coverage and acquisition efforts.
Hathaway was chosen as an astronaut candidate in December 2021 as a part of NASA Astronaut Group 23, nicknamed “The Flies.” On the time of his astronaut candidate choice, Hathaway was deployed aboard the united statesTruman as a Potential Government Officer for Strike Fighter Squadron 81. In whole, Hathaway has collected 2,500 flight hours in 30 totally different plane and accomplished 39 fight missions. Hathaway accomplished astronaut coaching in March 2024 and was later assigned to Crew-12, which is able to function his first flight to house.
Crew-12 will function two mission specialists. The primary is ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot. Born in Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire, France, Adenot attended the Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace, the place she studied flight dynamics and earned an engineering diploma in 2004. Later that yr, she earned a grasp’s diploma in human components engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Know-how. Her analysis studied how the vestibular system adapts to synthetic gravity, informing the design and improvement of centrifuges for astronaut coaching.
Crew-12 commander Jessica Meir and pilot Jack Hathaway throughout coaching. (Credit score: SpaceX)
After working as an engineer at Airbus Helicopters, Adenot joined the French Air Drive in 2005, the place she piloted helicopters on search-and-rescue missions. She would later switch to the Excessive Authority Transport Squadron, the place she transported French authorities figures and visiting overseas leaders. In 2018, Adenot graduated from the Empire Take a look at Pilots’ Faculty as a helicopter check pilot and labored at Cazaux Air Base till 2022.
Adenot was chosen as an astronaut candidate in November 2022 as a part of the 2022 ESA Astronaut Group, nicknamed “The Hoppers.” On the time of her choice, she had collected over 3,000 flight hours in 22 totally different helicopters. She accomplished her coaching in April 2024 and joined the European Astronaut Corps. Adenot was assigned to Crew-12 in 2024, and she or he would be the first member of her class to finish a long-duration ISS mission. Crew-12 will function Adenot’s first flight to house, and her ESA mission title is “εpsilon.”
The ultimate crew member and second mission specialist on Crew-12 is Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. Born in modern-day Serov, Russia, Fedyaev graduated from the Balashov Navy Aviation Faculty with an engineering diploma in 2004, specializing in air transport and air site visitors management. Fedyaev then joined the Russian Air Drive, the place he served within the 317th combined aviation phase. After logging over 500 flight hours, Fedyaev retired from the Russian Air Drive in 2013, following his choice as a cosmonaut.
Roscosmos chosen Fedyaev as a cosmonaut in 2012, and he accomplished his coaching in June 2014. In July 2022, Fedyaev was assigned to Expedition 68/69, and launched to the ISS aboard Crew-6 on March 2, 2023, changing into the second Russian cosmonaut to fly on Crew Dragon. He spent almost 186 days on the Station, and supported a number of Russian spacewalks along with conducting common experiments. Crew-12 will function Fedyaev’s second flight to house.
The crew of Crew-12 pose for a photograph whereas coaching for flight. (Credit score: SpaceX)
Fedyaev was not initially assigned to Crew-12 or Expedition 74/75. Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, a veteran of three missions to the ISS, was initially scheduled to fly on Crew-12 as a mission specialist. Nevertheless, in December 2025, Artemyev was all of a sudden faraway from the crew and changed with Fedyaev. Roscosmos said the elimination was attributable to a “transition to a different job,” however later stories prompt Artemyev violated Worldwide Visitors in Arms Laws (ITAR) by photographing ITAR-protected data on SpaceX applied sciences, prompting his elimination from the mission. With the crew swap occurring round three months earlier than Crew-12’s scheduled launch, Fedyaev was chosen as Artemyev’s alternative attributable to his previous expertise flying on Crew Dragon, lowering his coaching time.
Crew-12 additionally confronted the potential for an elevated launch timeline as a result of early return of Crew-11 on Jan. 15 attributable to an undisclosed medical challenge. Following the announcement of Crew-11’s early departure, NASA introduced they had been “working with SpaceX, and its worldwide companions, to evaluate the choices obtainable to advance launch alternatives for the Crew-12 mission.” Finally, the mission’s unique launch date of Feb. 15 was superior by simply three days to Feb. 12. The Feb. 12 launch date was moved to Feb. 13 attributable to poor launch climate alongside Crew-12’s ascent trajectory.
As soon as settled into life aboard the Station, the 4 crew members will start conducting analysis, science experiments, and Station upkeep procedures. Among the analysis and scientific experiments embody research of pneumonia-inducing micro organism, on-demand intravenous fluid era, automated plant well being monitoring, and interactions between vegetation and nitrogen-fixing microbes. The crew will even conduct investigations into human well being, reminiscent of how bodily traits can have an effect on blood circulation in microgravity. When not conducting analysis, the crew will carry out upkeep on the 27-year-old ISS, typically by spacewalks.
Welcome to NASA Kennedy Crew-12!@Astro_Jessica, @astro_hathaway, @esa Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev will conduct prelaunch operations till their launch Wednesday, Feb. 11.
Watch the crew arrival ➡️ pic.twitter.com/fbYe9C0eeK
— NASA’s Kennedy House Heart (@NASAKennedy) February 7, 2026
What’s extra, the crew will see the arrival and departure of a number of spacecraft. In July, the Soyuz MS-29 mission will dock with the ISS, bringing Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina, together with NASA astronaut Anil Menon, to the orbiting laboratory. Quickly after, the Soyuz MS-28 mission will depart and return to Earth with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikayev and NASA astronaut Christopher Williams. The Soyuz MS-28 crew is presently onboard the ISS and can welcome Crew-12 aboard the orbiting laboratory following their docking. A number of uncrewed cargo spacecraft will even launch to the Station throughout Crew-12’s keep, together with a SpaceX Cargo Dragon, Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL, and Roscosmos Progress.
Crew-12’s autos and spacecraft
Below its Business Crew Program (CCP) contract, SpaceX provides each the crewed spacecraft and launch automobile for crewed missions to the ISS. Crew-12 will function the 14th human spaceflight mission beneath the CCP, the twelfth operational ISS mission, and the twentieth total crewed mission for SpaceX and Crew Dragon.
The Crew-12 crew will trip into orbit aboard Crew Dragon C212 Freedom. Crew-12 will function Freedom‘s fifth flight to house and the ISS following a 503-day turnaround from its most up-to-date mission, Crew-9, in September 2024. Freedom has beforehand supported the Crew-9, Axiom Mission 3, Axiom Mission 2, and Crew-4 missions — all of which flew to the ISS.
As is custom with Dragon capsules, the primary crew to fly in them names the capsule. Freedom was named by Crew-4, which flew to the ISS in April 2022. NASA astronaut and Crew-4 commander Kjell Lindgren defined that the crew selected the title to have fun “a basic human proper” and to honor Freedom 7, the primary crewed spaceflight by the USA, which carried astronaut Alan Shepard to house in Could 1961.
Crew Dragon Freedom arrives at SLC-40 for Crew-12. (Credit score: SpaceX)
There are 4 different energetic Crew Dragon capsules: C206 Endeavour, C207 Resilience, C210 Endurance, and C213 Grace.
SpaceX’s partially reusable workhorse, the Falcon 9, will launch Crew-12 to the ISS. Falcon 9 presently flies in its Block 5 configuration and has accomplished 599 missions since its debut in June 2010. Crew-12 will mark Falcon 9’s 600th mission and seventeenth of 2026.
Falcon 9 is a two-stage medium-lift launch automobile, standing 69.8 m tall and three.7 m in diameter. The primary stage booster, which is able to touchdown on both a concrete touchdown pad or downrange droneship at sea, options 9 Merlin engines that produce 7,600 kN of thrust at liftoff. To allow restoration, the primary stage additionally options 4 touchdown legs and 4 titanium gridfins. The second stage makes use of a single, vacuum-optimized Merlin engine that produces 934 kN of thrust. Each Falcon 9 levels use highly-refined kerosene (RP-1) and liquid oxygen (LOX) propellants.
Serving as the primary stage booster for Crew-12 is B1101, the youngest energetic booster within the Falcon fleet. Crew-12 will mark B1101’s second flight after it beforehand supported the Starlink Group 6-88 mission in January. This mission will even mark the booster’s first try and land at a Touchdown Zone, as Starlink Group 6-88 used one in every of SpaceX’s droneships for restoration.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman flies over SLC-40 and the model new LZ-40 with Crew-12 on the pad. (Credit score: NASA)
Crew-12 launch and docking timeline
Crew-12 is scheduled to launch on Friday, Feb. 13, at 5:15 AM EST (10:15 UTC) from House Launch Complicated 40 (SLC-40) on the Cape Canaveral House Drive Station in Florida. This mission will mark the second crewed mission to fly from SLC-40 after Crew-9 flew from the pad in September 2024. All different Crew Dragon missions have flown from Launch Complicated 39A (LC-39A) on the Kennedy House Heart. With the elimination of the crew entry arm at LC-39A, SpaceX intends to launch all future crewed missions from SLC-40.
Falcon 9 and Freedom rolled out to SLC-40 on Feb. 8 and accomplished a static hearth check that night. The Crew-12 crew arrived in Florida for launch on Feb. 6, and entered quarantine quickly after. NASA and SpaceX groups efficiently accomplished a dry costume rehearsal of all launch-day actions on Feb. 9, with the crew practising suiting up and boarding Freedom , and launch groups working by the launch countdown.
On launch day, the countdown will start a number of miles from SLC-40 on the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Constructing (O&C). There, the crew will swimsuit up and stroll out to the media, after which they are going to be transported to SLC-40 by way of a convoy of Teslas. As soon as on the pad, the crew and their supporting closeout crew members will scale the launch tower and stroll throughout the crew entry arm to entry Freedom‘s hatch.
The crew will then enter Freedom one after the other, with crew ingress anticipated to be accomplished by T-2:35:00 hours. Hatch closure will come 40 minutes later at T-1:55:00 hours, with leak checks following quickly after. As soon as the hatch is confirmed to be closed safely, the closeout crew will put together the white room for launch and depart the pad.
Crew-12 sit of their seating positions inside Dragon. (Credit score: SpaceX)
NASA and SpaceX groups will then monitor the crew, Freedom, and Falcon 9 for the subsequent hour till the SpaceX Launch Director verifies that Falcon 9 is “go” for propellant loading at T-45:00 minutes. After the “go” for propellant load is given, SLC-40’s crew entry arm can be retracted at T-42:00 minutes, and Freedom‘s launch escape system can be armed at T-39:00 minutes.
With the launch escape system armed, if an emergency that prevented crew egress had been to happen, Freedom’s launch escape system could be activated, safely flying the crew away from the pad. Freedom is pre-loaded with extremely storable hypergolic propellants for its launch escape system motors, and thus requires no fueling throughout launch.
Falcon 9 masses propellants late in its launch countdown attributable to SpaceX’s use of super-chilled cryogenic propellants. Groups gasoline the rocket later within the countdown to make sure these cryogenic propellants don’t boil away throughout prelaunch actions.
At T-35:00 minutes, RP-1 begins flowing into Falcon 9’s first and second levels. LOX additionally begins loading onto Falcon 9’s first stage at T-35:00 minutes. At T-16:00 minutes, LOX loading begins on the second stage.
Crew Dragon Freedom and Falcon 9 stand atop SLC-40 for the launch of Crew-12. (Credit score: SpaceX)
Whereas RP-1 and LOX are loaded onto Falcon 9, first stage engine chill will happen at T-07:00 minutes. Throughout engine chill, small quantities of cryogenic propellants circulation by the first-stage engines, making certain the 9 first stage engines aren’t subjected to intense thermal shock throughout ignition. After engine chill, Freedom will transition to inner energy at T-05:00 minutes.
Falcon 9 can be absolutely loaded with RP-1 and LOX propellants at T-02:00 minutes, after which it would start transitioning to inner energy. At T-01:00 minute, the flight pc is commanded to start ultimate prelaunch checks, and the propellant tanks are pressurized to flight pressures. At T-00:45 seconds, the SpaceX Launch Director will confirm that Crew-12 is go for launch, assuming no automobile, crew, climate, or vary points.
At T-00:03 seconds, the 9 first stage Merlin engines will ignite, and, at T0, Falcon 9 and Crew-12 will carry off from SLC-40, starting their journey to orbit.
At T+01:12 minute, Falcon 9 and Freedom will expertise most aerodynamic strain (Max Q), the second at which aerodynamic and structural masses are at their biggest throughout ascent. As soon as the primary stage has depleted most of its propellants, it would shutdown its 9 engines at T+02:24 minutes — an occasion referred to as fundamental engine cutoff (MECO) — and separate from the second stage three seconds later at T+02:27 minutes.
Crew Dragon Freedom at SLC-40. (Credit score: SpaceX)
The second stage engine will ignite at T+02:35 minutes. Because the second stage propels Freedom and Crew-12 to orbit, B1101 will start its return to Earth. Seconds after stage separation, B1101 will carry out a close to 180-degree flip to orient itself for its boostback burn and ignite its engines at T+02:41 minutes. The boostback burn will final till T+03:27 minutes.
Following the boostback burn, B1101 will coast and orient itself engine-first for reentry and touchdown. At T+06:20 minutes, the booster will ignite its engines for 13 seconds for the entry burn, reducing its descent velocity to make sure a secure touchdown. Lastly, at T+07:17 minutes, B1101 will ignite its engines a ultimate time for the touchdown burn and landing at Touchdown Zone 40 (LZ-40) at T+07:42 minutes. B1101’s touchdown will mark the primary touchdown at LZ-40, which is positioned throughout the SLC-40 grounds to allow sooner restoration operations when boosters carry out return-to-launch-site landings.
In the meantime, the second stage will proceed flying to orbit, in the end culminating in second stage engine cutoff (SECO) at T+08:47 minutes. After checking orbital insertion and automobile well being, Freedom will separate from the second stage at T+09:37 minutes, starting its journey to rendezvous and dock with the ISS. Freedom‘s nosecone can be opened at T+10:25 minutes.
Instantly following separation, Freedom will carry out preliminary orbit activation and carry out checkouts of crucial automobile techniques. Over the subsequent 34 hours, Dragon will conduct a number of phasing burns to boost its orbit and “catch up” to the ISS.
Crew Dragon Freedom approaches the ISS for docking through the Crew-9 mission. (Credit score: NASA)
On Friday, because it approaches the ISS’s keep-out sphere, Freedom will set up communication with the orbiting laboratory and carry out one ultimate phasing burn. The capsule will then maneuver across the ISS till it arrives at its docking axis, after which Crew Dragon’s autonomous docking strategy navigation can be activated. Freedom then performs its ultimate strategy to the Station, in the end docking with the Concord module’s zenith docking port at 3:15 PM EST (20:15 UTC) on Friday, Feb. 14.
Following docking, the ISS and Crew-12 crews will pressurize the docking vestibule and open the hatch, permitting Crew-12 to ingress into the ISS and start their eight-month mission.
(Lead picture: Falcon 9 and Freedom atop SLC-40 forward of Crew-12. Credit score: Tyler Grey for NSF)
