Four New Astronauts Arrive at International Space Station

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The International Space Station has returned to full strength with the arrival of four new astronauts from the U.S., France, and Russia. The new crew members will replace colleagues who had to be evacuated early last month due to a serious health issue, leaving only three crew members to maintain operations. The incoming astronauts include NASA's Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, France's Sophie Adenot, and Russia's Andrei Fedyaev, some of whom have previous experience on the ISS.

Why it matters

The evacuation of the previous crew was NASA's first in 65 years of human spaceflight, highlighting the risks and challenges of maintaining a continuous human presence in space. The arrival of the new crew restores the ISS to full staffing levels, allowing for a resumption of critical research and spacewalk activities that had been paused.

The details

SpaceX delivered the new crew a day after launching them from Cape Canaveral. The incoming astronauts will stay on the ISS for 8-9 months. Meir and Fedyaev have lived on the station before, with Meir participating in the first all-female spacewalk in 2019. Adenot is only the second French woman to fly in space, while Hathaway is a U.S. Navy captain.

• The previous crew was evacuated on January 7, 2026.
• The new crew arrived at the ISS on February 15, 2026.

What’s next

NASA has not disclosed the identity or details of the health issue that prompted the evacuation of the previous crew, citing medical privacy. The agency has said it did not alter its preflight medical checks for the incoming astronauts.