SpaceX Launches Crew-12 to International Space Station, Marking 12th Crewed Mission

The International Space Station (ISS) has returned to full operational strength following the successful arrival of SpaceX’s Crew-12 mission on February 14, 2026. The launch, which occurred on February 13, 2026, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, delivered a four-person crew to the orbiting laboratory, restoring its full seven-person capacity.

Crew-12 Mission Details

The Crew-12 mission carried NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. The crew traveled aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft, dubbed “Freedom.” The spacecraft docked with the ISS at 3:15 p.m. EST (2015 UTC) on February 14, approximately 34 hours after liftoff [NASA].

Recent SpaceX Achievements

The arrival of Crew-12 coincided with another SpaceX milestone: the launch of its 600th Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenburg Space Force Base in California. This launch deployed 24 Starlink satellites into polar orbit [Space.com]. The booster, B1081, successfully landed on the drone ship “Of course I still love you,” marking the 178th landing on this vessel and the 571st booster landing overall for SpaceX [CNBC].

Restoring ISS Operations

The Crew-12 mission was particularly significant as it replenished the ISS crew following an unexpected medical evacuation in January. A previous crew member experienced a serious health issue, requiring their return to Earth, which left the station operating with a reduced crew of three [The Guardian]. This necessitated a pause in spacewalks and a reduction in research activities.

Crew Member Backgrounds

Astronauts Meir and Fedyaev have both previously visited the ISS. Meir participated in the first all-female spacewalk during her 2019 mission. Adenot is the second French woman to travel to space, and Hathaway is a captain in the U.S. Navy [The Guardian].

Mission Duration and Objectives

The Crew-12 astronauts are scheduled to remain on the ISS for approximately eight months, conducting scientific research in microgravity. This mission represents the 12th long-duration ISS team flown by NASA aboard a SpaceX launch vehicle since May 2020 [CNBC].