Crew-12, NASA’s newest team of astronauts, launched from Earth and docked safely at the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday. They are excited to start their science ops on the ISS! This mission marks SpaceX’s 12th crewed, rotational flight to the ISS. It’s the latest example of the smooth partnership SpaceX shares with NASA, continuing to test the limits of human space exploration.
The Crew-12 team includes four highly accomplished astronauts. Among them are Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, both of whom possess lengthy resumes that should serve the mission well. Joining them is Sophie Adenot, a French astronaut, who brings a new international dimension to the crew. Completing this multinational crew is Andrey Fedyaev, a cosmonaut with the Russian space agency Roscosmos. He personifies the broader theme of international cooperation in encouraging and fostering a scientific research and exploration endeavor.
The Crew-12 mission was launched after a fast turnaround evacuation of the prior team due to a medical issue. This transition underscores the importance of maintaining a continuous human presence aboard the ISS, allowing for ongoing scientific experiments and international cooperation in space.
Following a successful launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, Crew-12 journeyed about 250 miles to arrive at the ISS. The docking went smoothly and without issue. This successful milestone is a key step in SpaceX’s continuing journey to provide safe, reliable transport for America’s astronauts to and from the International Space Station.
Crew-12 will be living and working aboard the ISS for eight months. They will personally and actively engage in the most cutting-edge scientific research and experiments that deepen and diversify our knowledge in biology, physics, and materials science. The crew members are all very different people. This breadth will increase their collective synergy as they work together to perform innovative research, paired together to pursue pioneering study.