NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 lifted off from Kennedy Space Center at 5:15 a.m. EST on Friday, February 13, 2026, marking the start of an eight-month mission to the International Space Station. The crew of four—NASA astronaut Jessica Meir, pilot Jack Hathaway, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev—will conduct scientific research and maintenance work aboard the orbiting laboratory. The launch, delayed by weather until the scheduled window, was the 12th crew rotation and 13th crewed flight under NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
The astronauts arrived at Kennedy Space Center on February 6, 2026, and spent six days in quarantine as part of standard pre-launch protocols. Weather conditions were a key factor in the launch timing, with teams monitoring forecasts closely to ensure a safe departure. The mission includes a planned docking at the ISS around 3:15 p.m. on February 14, coinciding with Valentine's Day.
Meir, a veteran astronaut who has previously flown on the SpaceX Crew Demo-2 mission, will lead the crew as commander. Hathaway, a NASA pilot, and Adenot, representing the European Space Agency, will join Fedyaev, a Russian cosmonaut, in a multinational effort. The mission underscores the ongoing collaboration between NASA, SpaceX, and international partners, though some experts have raised questions about the long-term costs and risks of relying on private companies for crewed spaceflight.
The Crew-12 mission will focus on experiments in biology, physics, and Earth observation, with astronauts conducting over 200 research projects during their stay. They will also participate in spacewalks to maintain the station's exterior systems. The crew is expected to return to Earth in October 2026, completing a journey that will advance scientific understanding and support future deep-space exploration efforts.