NASA's SpaceX Crew-12, featuring astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, ESA's Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos' Andrey Fedyaev, completed their first full week aboard the ISS after docking on February 18, 2026, as shown in a 33-second video of them floating, introducing themselves, and starting experiments amid microgravity hair and smiles.
The crew advanced pharmaceutical research by supporting drug development in space, where microgravity enables unique crystal growth for better medicines, building on studies like those from SSEP Mission 12 that tested plant-based remedies like Yarrow for astronaut health.
They monitored body temperature adaptation using gear like the Bio-Monitor system to counter microgravity's effects on circulation, while testing fuel tank pressure controls to enable zero-boil-off storage, reducing propellant loss by up to 90% for future Mars missions per NASA simulations.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SpaceX's post confirms a successful static fire test of the Falcon 9 rocket's nine Merlin engines at Cape Canaveral, a routine 3-second burn that validates propulsion systems ahead of the February 11, 2026, launch.
NASA's Crew-12 mission will carry commander Jessica Meir, pilot Jack Hathaway, ESA specialist Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos specialist Andrey Fedyaev to the ISS for approximately six months of scientific research on human health and technology advancements.
As SpaceX's 12th operational crewed Dragon flight, this rotation highlights the program's maturity, with the reusable first-stage booster on its second mission and autonomous docking ensuring efficient crew transport from 2020.
Check on twitter
The mission, part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, successfully lifted off on February 13 at 5:15 a.m. ET from Cape Canaveral, carrying NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev aboard a Dragon spacecraft.
Such weather-induced delays underscore the priority of safety in crewed launches, with the Falcon 9's first stage completing a precise landing on its second flight, marking over 400 consecutive successful missions for the rocket.
SpaceX's post marks the first successful cryoproof of a Super Heavy V3 booster, using liquid nitrogen over six days to simulate propellant loads and verify redesigned feedlines that failed in a prior prototype.
The test confirmed the 70-meter booster's structural integrity under cryogenic stresses, a critical step after three V2 flight failures, enabling integration of 33 upgraded Raptor 3 engines for higher thrust and reusability.
This advancement supports an upcoming orbital test flight by March 2026, advancing full reusability goals and NASA's Artemis program for lunar refueling demonstrations.
Check on twitter
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The SpaceX post features two photos of the Crew Dragon capsule stacked atop a Falcon 9 booster arriving at Pad 40's hangar in Florida, showcasing the spacecraft's white nose cone, NASA insignia, and protective foil wrapping under clear skies, signaling final preparations for launch.
Crew-12 marks NASA's 12th operational Commercial Crew mission to the International Space Station, set for no earlier than February 11, 2026, with a four-person crew conducting experiments on human health, technology demos, and resource utilization to support Artemis lunar goals and future Mars missions.
This arrival highlights SpaceX's reusable Dragon system's efficiency, having supported 11 prior crew rotations since 2020 with a 100% success rate for human flights, enabling more frequent ISS resupply and crew exchanges at a fraction of historical costs per NASA data.
CHECK ON TWITTER
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SpaceX's post announces the upcoming undocking of the Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying NASA's Crew-11 astronauts from the International Space Station.
Crew-11, launched August 1, 2025, marks NASA's first medical evacuation from the ISS, a five-month mission to safely return an astronaut with health issues alongside commander Zena Cardman, pilot Mike Fincke, and mission specialists Kimiya Yui and Oleg Platonov.
SpaceX's post announces the Dragon spacecraft, carrying NASA Crew-11 astronauts, has received clearance to undock from the International Space Station, marking the start of their return journey scheduled for 5:20 p.m. EST on January 14, 2026.
This undocking is part of an expedited medical evacuation for one crew member, as confirmed by NASA updates, with the hatch already closed and autonomous separation imminent, covered live on NASA+.
The mission highlights SpaceX's reliable Crew Dragon role in ISS operations, with over 50 successful docking/undocking events since 2020, underscoring advancements in commercial crewed spaceflight.
SpaceX's post details the Crew-11 Dragon spacecraft's return from the ISS, scheduled for splashdown off San Diego at 12:41 a.m. PT on January 15, 2026, carrying four NASA astronauts after a six-month mission.
The mission concludes earlier than planned due to an unspecified medical issue requiring prompt Earth return, demonstrating real-time adjustments in human spaceflight protocols.
The accompanying map illustrates the precise reentry trajectory over the Pacific, where a sonic boom will signal arrival, underscoring Dragon's heat shield reliability during hypersonic descent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NASAs @SpaceX Crew-12 mission assignments
The @Space_Station post announces NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 mission crew—Jessica Meir (U.S., commander, second flight), Jack Hathaway (U.S., pilot, first flight), Sophie Adenot (France, specialist, first flight), and Andrey Fedyaev (Russia, specialist, second flight)—set to launch no earlier than February 15, 2026, to support Expedition 74 on the ISS.
This international team from NASA, ESA, and Roscosmos will conduct over 200 experiments on human health, biotechnology, and technology demos, directly informing Artemis Moon missions and Mars exploration while advancing low-Earth orbit commercial activities.
Public reactions highlight excitement for the diverse crew's expertise in biology, aviation, and engineering, with over 1.3 million views underscoring growing global interest in collaborative space efforts amid rapid commercialization.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dragon and the Crew-11 astronauts dock with the Space Station
SpaceX's post echoes NASA's update on Crew-11 Dragon undocking from the ISS no earlier than January 14, 2026, at 5 p.m. EST, with splashdown targeted for early January 15 off California, pending weather.
The mission, launched August 1, 2025, involves NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA's Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos' Oleg Platonov, returning after about five months due to a stable medical issue with an unnamed crew member.
This earlier-than-planned departure underscores the flexibility of SpaceX's Crew Dragon in NASA's Commercial Crew Program, prioritizing astronaut health while maintaining ISS operations, as detailed in NASA's January 9 blog.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The SpaceX Crew-11 mission successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on August 2, 2025, at approximately 2:27 a.m. EDT. The Crew Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, autonomously docked to the space-facing port of the ISS’s Harmony module, carrying four astronauts: NASA’s Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. Hatches opened around 4:15 a.m. EDT, allowing the Crew-11 members to join the Expedition 73 crew for a handover period. The mission, launched on July 31, 2025, from Kennedy Space Center, is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and will see the astronauts conduct a roughly six-month stay aboard the ISS for scientific experiments and station operations.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPLASHDOWN Crew- 10
The NASA SpaceX Crew-10 mission concluded with a successful splashdown on August 9, 2025, at 11:33 a.m. EDT (8:33 a.m. PDT / 15:33 UTC) in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego, California. This marked the first Commercial Crew mission to land off the U.S. West Coast. The Crew Dragon spacecraft, Endurance, carried four astronauts—NASA’s Anne McClain (Commander) and Nichole Ayers (Pilot), JAXA’s Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos’ Kirill Peskov—who completed a 145-day mission (148 days including travel) on the ISS, conducting scientific research and maintenance.
The spacecraft undocked from the ISS on August 8 at 6:15 p.m. ET, delayed briefly due to high winds. After a deorbit burn, it re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, deploying drogue and main parachutes for a nominal splashdown. SpaceX recovery teams secured the spacecraft, hoisted it onto a recovery ship, and conducted initial medical checks on the crew, who were then flown to NASA’s Johnson Space Center. A NASA-JAXA teleconference followed at 1 p.m. EDT on August 9. For footage, check NASA’s YouTube or SpaceX’s streams.
—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UNDOCKING
The SpaceX Crew-10 mission undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) on August 8, 2025, at 6:15 p.m. EDT (22:15 UTC). The Crew Dragon spacecraft, named Endurance, carrying NASA astronauts Anne McClain (commander) and Nichole Ayers (pilot), JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, separated from the forward-facing port of the ISS's Harmony module. The undocking followed a hatch closure at 4:20 p.m. EDT and was delayed from earlier opportunities on August 6 and 7 due to high winds forecasted for the splashdown zones off the Southern California coast. The spacecraft began a 17.5-hour journey back to Earth, targeting a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean at approximately 11:33 a.m. EDT (8:33 a.m. PDT) on August 9, 2025, marking the first NASA-sponsored Crew Dragon mission to land in the Pacific. The crew, who spent 148 days in orbit, conducted numerous scientific experiments and carried time-sensitive research samples back in the Polar cold storage facility.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOCKING
The SpaceX Crew-10 mission successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on March 16, 2025, at 12:04 a.m. EDT (0404 GMT). The Crew Dragon spacecraft, named Endurance, autonomously connected to the forward-facing port of the ISS's Harmony module while orbiting approximately 260 miles above the Atlantic Ocean. The mission carried four astronauts: NASA astronauts Anne McClain (commander) and Nichole Ayers (pilot), JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. After docking, the crew conducted leak checks and pressurization protocols, with the hatch opening by 1:45 a.m. EDT, followed by a welcoming ceremony. This docking marked the start of a crew swap, enabling the return of astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who had been stranded on the ISS since June 2024 due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
0 Comments