Crew 12 set for Dragon launch to Station in February

by Erica Marchand
Paris, France (SPX) Feb 02, 2026
A four person international crew is preparing to launch to the International Space Station no earlier than Wednesday 11 February, riding a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The planned liftoff time is 11:00 GMT, which corresponds to 12:00 CET and 06:00 EST, with two additional launch opportunities on 12 and 13 February if required.

The launch schedule provides backup options on Thursday 12 February at 10:38 GMT, 11:38 CET and 05:38 EST, and on Friday 13 February at 10:15 GMT, 11:15 CET and 05:15 EST. This sequence of windows is designed to maintain the proper orbital phasing needed for Dragon to rendezvous with the Station shortly after launch.

Crew 12 brings together Roscosmos, NASA and ESA astronauts for a long duration stay in orbit. The crew members, shown left to right in the official group portrait, are Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev, NASA astronauts Jack Hathaway and Jessica Meir, and ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot.

The four astronauts will travel to the Station aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft propelled to orbit by a Falcon 9 rocket. Once on orbit, the spacecraft will guide itself to a docking with the International Space Station, where the crew will join the resident Expeditions 74 and 75 for a mission expected to last about nine months.

For Sophie Adenot and Jack Hathaway this flight will mark their first time in space. Both serve as mission specialists on Crew 12 and bring test pilot experience to the mission, adding depth to the crew's operational skills in spacecraft systems and flight test procedures.

Commander Jessica Meir and mission specialist Andrei Fedyaev are each returning to orbit for a second time. Jessica will be flying on the SpaceX Dragon for the first time, while Andrei is set to become the first cosmonaut to fly on the US commercial spacecraft twice, underscoring the growing role of Dragon in international crew rotation.

The crew reports that preparations for launch are progressing smoothly as they adapt to the updated launch date. They remain focused on the tasks ahead as they get ready to support science, exploration and international cooperation aboard the Station throughout their stay.

As part of standard preflight health protocols, Sophie, Jessica, Jack and Andrei entered quarantine on Wednesday 28 January at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. This medical isolation reduces the risk of carrying illnesses to the orbiting laboratory and helps ensure the health of both the arriving crew and the astronauts already on board.

The crew is expected to travel from Houston to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday 6 February. They will remain in quarantine at Kennedy until launch, continuing simulations, reviews and final preparations while operating under controlled conditions near the launch site.

ESA notes that more information about Crew 12 and the epsilon mission theme will be provided as launch approaches. The epsilon mission framework highlights the European contribution to Station operations and showcases the scientific and exploratory goals that Sophie Adenot and her crewmates will help advance during their time in orbit.