NASA's Crew-12 Arrives at International Space Station

Four-person crew will conduct experiments during 8-month mission

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The four members of NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 mission docked at the International Space Station on Saturday afternoon after launching from Cape Canaveral, Florida before dawn on Friday. The crew includes two NASA astronauts, a French astronaut, and a Russian cosmonaut who will spend the next eight months conducting scientific research to prepare for human exploration beyond Earth's orbit and enhance food production in space.

Why it matters

The Crew-12 mission replaces the previous Crew-11 mission, which had to depart the ISS a month early due to a medical evacuation, leaving the space station understaffed. This new crew will help restore the station's typical seven-person staffing level and continue critical research to support future deep space missions, including the upcoming Artemis II mission that will send astronauts around the moon.

The details

The Crew-12 mission includes NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, French astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. During their eight-month stay on the ISS, the crew will conduct a variety of scientific experiments and research to prepare for human exploration beyond Earth's orbit and improve food production capabilities in space.

  • The Crew-12 mission launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida before dawn on Friday, February 14, 2026.
  • The crew docked at the International Space Station on Saturday afternoon, February 15, 2026.

The players

Jessica Meir

NASA astronaut on the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station.

Jack Hathaway

NASA astronaut on the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station.

Sophie Adenot

French astronaut on the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station.

Andrey Fedyaev

Russian cosmonaut on the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station.

Jared Isaacman

NASA Administrator.

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What they’re saying

“With Crew-12 safely on orbit, America and our international partners once again demonstrated the professionalism, preparation, and teamwork required for human spaceflight.”

— Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator (NPR)

What’s next

NASA is simultaneously making preparations for the 10-day Artemis II mission, which would send a crew of four astronauts around the moon. It's the first crewed mission to the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972 and is slated to take off as soon as March.

The takeaway

The successful arrival of the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station is an important milestone in NASA's efforts to maintain a continuous human presence in space and conduct critical research to support future deep space exploration. The crew's work over the next eight months will help pave the way for ambitious missions like Artemis II that aim to send astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit for the first time in over 50 years.