NASA and SpaceX plan to undock the Crew-12 mission from the International Space Station on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, with departure targeted for no earlier than 8:05 a.m. local time, rri.co.id reported. The return flight brings back a four-member international crew following nearly eight months of orbital research and operational duties.
SpaceX Dragon splashes down in California on Oct. 8
Weather conditions will dictate the final timing for the undocking on Oct. 7, 2026. After pulling away from the orbiting laboratory, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will spend more than a day executing orbital maneuvers around Earth. The vehicle will then perform its atmospheric reentry sequence ahead of a parachute-assisted splashdown off the coast of California, scheduled for approximately 11:34 a.m. local time on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026.
NASA scheduled live broadcasts covering the entire return sequence, starting from the moment of undocking through the final splashdown. Crew members wrapped up their orbital stay by stowing equipment, configuring the Dragon spacecraft’s internal systems, and inspecting the pressure suits required for the journey back to Earth’s surface.
Crew-12 finishes eight month assignment in low Earth orbit
The returning Crew-12 roster includes NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. The four spacefarers arrived at the space station in February to execute long-duration scientific investigations and station maintenance. Their departure concludes an assignment lasting nearly eight months in low Earth orbit.
The four travelers spent the final days on station finalizing cargo transfers and verifying flight deck configurations.
Continuity of Operations with Crew-13
Station operations remain uninterrupted following the arrival of Crew-13 on Oct. 1, 2026. The incoming team officially assumed operational control and research oversight prior to the departure of their predecessors. The current station complement features NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Josh Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov.
Where will SpaceX Dragon land and who is Crew-13?
Where will the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft land?
The spacecraft will splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.
When did the Crew-12 members originally arrive at the space station?
The four crew members arrived at the orbiting laboratory in February to begin their mission.
Who serves on the incoming Crew-13 team?
The replacement crew consists of NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian astronaut Josh Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov.