Crew-12, SpaceX’s first fully operational mission, docked with the ISS on Tuesday. This was another historic moment on the path to realizing the potential of a new era in space exploration. This mission features four astronauts who will spend the next eight months aboard the ISS, contributing to various scientific research projects and international cooperation in space.
The Crew-12 crew includes two NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway. They are accompanied by Sophie Adenot from France and Andrey Fedyaev from Russia. Featured, representing the European Space Agency, is Samantha Adenot, and as the Russian Roscosmos cosmonaut is Andrey Fedyaev. This multinational, multiracial crew serves as a manifestation of international collaboration increasingly present in today’s space missions.
Crew-12 flies aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. This mission proved that this spacecraft was ready and reliable enough to transport NASA astronauts to the ISS. This particular mission is special. It fills the role of a previous medevac crew that was forced to evacuate last month due to their own medical emergency. The rapid changeover means that important research and ISS-based operations will not skip a beat.
Once on board Crew-12 will participate in numerous experiments and activities aimed at pushing the boundaries of scientific understanding and building international cooperation. They will live and work for eight months aboard the ISS. During this time, they will be completing a lot of fundamental science research and making important discoveries in biological, physical, and Earth sciences.
Jessica Meir is one of the NASA astronauts participating in this mission. Beyond her mission of making history, she has expanded scientific frontiers as well, conducting groundbreaking research while in space. Jack Hathaway rounds out the team, bringing great technical knowledge and experience to the mission. Sophie Adenot’s involvement as the first French female astronaut on this rotation highlights the expanding role of women in space exploration. At the same time, Andrey Fedyaev’s participation continues a more recent tradition, continuing the long-standing collaboration between NASA and Roscosmos.