Bold opening: A new wave of human spaceflight is underway, pushing our reach in orbit and accelerating research that could change life on Earth as we know it. And this is the part most people miss: the Crew-12 mission is not just a routine launch, but a coordinated, international effort that blends advanced technology, collaboration, and groundbreaking science to pave the way for deeper space exploration.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission launched at 5:15 a.m. EST on a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Four crew members embarked on a science-forward voyage to the International Space Station: NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. The Dragon spacecraft is slated to dock autonomously with the space-facing port of the Harmony module about 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, February 14.
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (note: if keeping original attribution, replace with the correct name) would say that with Crew-12 on orbit, the United States and its partners have once again demonstrated the professionalism, preparation, and teamwork essential to human spaceflight. The mission’s research aims to advance technologies vital for future deep-space exploration while delivering tangible benefits on Earth. The teams at NASA and SpaceX are commended for their discipline, rigor, and resilience, which made today’s launch possible. The overarching goal remains clear: manage risk responsibly as we expand human presence in low-Earth orbit and continue toward the Moon, then Mars.
During Dragon’s journey, SpaceX mission control in Hawthorne, California, will oversee a sequence of automatic spacecraft maneuvers. Simultaneously, NASA’s Mission Control in Houston will monitor station operations to ensure smooth progress of the flight and docking.
Live coverage will resume at 1:15 p.m. on Saturday via NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel, featuring the rendezvous, docking, and hatch opening. After docking, the crew will shed their spacesuits, unload cargo, and open the hatch to the Harmony module around 5 p.m. A welcome ceremony aboard the station will follow shortly after hatch opening.
For those who want to follow along, learn how to access NASA programming across various platforms, including social media, through NASA’s viewing guide.
The Crew-12 team will join Expedition 74, which already includes NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev. This arrival returns the station to its standard seven-person crew following the Crew-11 departure on January 14.
Over the course of the mission, Crew-12 will conduct a slate of scientific studies designed to support human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit and yield benefits on Earth. Experiments include:
- Investigations into pneumonia-causing bacteria to improve cardiovascular treatments
- On-demand intravenous fluid generation technologies for future space missions
- Studies on how physical characteristics influence blood flow during spaceflight
- Automated monitoring of plant health and investigations into plant–nitrogen-fixing microbe interactions to boost space-based food production
Crew-12 participates in NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, a collaborative framework that ensures reliable access to space, maximizes the station’s research potential, and supports future deep-space missions by partnering with private industry to transport astronauts to and from the ISS.
To learn more about the Commercial Crew Program, visit NASA’s official page.
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Contacts:
Josh Finch, Headquarters, Washington: 202-358-1100, joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov
Steven Siceloff, Kennedy Space Center, Florida: 321-867-2468, steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov
Sandra Jones / Joseph Zakrzewski, Johnson Space Center, Houston: 281-483-5111, sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov
