ISS Back to Full Crew After SpaceX Delivers New Astronauts

The International Space Station is once again operating at full capacity following the arrival of four new astronauts.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The International Space Station is back to full crew after SpaceX delivered four new astronauts representing the U.S., France, and Russia on Saturday. This comes after the unexpected early return of the previous crew last month due to a medical issue with one of the astronauts.

Why it matters

The rapid replacement of the crew highlights the critical importance of international collaboration in maintaining a continuous human presence in space, even when unexpected challenges arise. The ability to quickly dispatch a replacement crew underscores the logistical capabilities developed through programs like SpaceX's commercial crew partnerships.

The details

The newly arrived crew consists of NASA's Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, France's Sophie Adenot, and Russia's Andrei Fedyaev. Meir and Fedyaev have prior experience aboard the International Space Station, while Adenot is the second French woman to travel to space. The unexpected return of the previous crew last month marked NASA's first medical evacuation in 65 years of human spaceflight, leaving the station with only three crew members and leading to a temporary suspension of spacewalks and a reduction in research activities.

  • The new crew arrived at the International Space Station on Saturday.
  • The previous crew returned to Earth early last month due to a medical issue.

The players

Jessica Meir

A NASA astronaut and marine biologist who has prior experience aboard the International Space Station, including participating in the first all-female spacewalk in 2019.

Sophie Adenot

A French military helicopter pilot who is the second French woman to travel to space.

Andrei Fedyaev

A Russian astronaut and former military pilot who has prior experience aboard the International Space Station.

Jack Hathaway

A NASA astronaut and captain in the U.S. Navy.

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What they’re saying

“Bonjour!”

— Sophie Adenot (newsy-today.com)

“Grateful to be on board, and we're ready to secure to work.”

— Jessica Meir (newsy-today.com)

What’s next

The new crew will be aboard the International Space Station for eight to nine months.

The takeaway

The rapid response to address the crew shortage on the International Space Station highlights the critical importance of international collaboration in maintaining a continuous human presence in space, even when unexpected challenges arise. The ability to quickly dispatch a replacement crew underscores the logistical capabilities developed through programs like SpaceX's commercial crew partnerships.