Maine Astronaut Jessica Meir Launches Into Space For Long-Duration Mission

Meir will serve as commander of the SpaceX Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Maine astronaut Jessica Meir blasted off from Cape Canaveral this morning, launching into space as the commander of the SpaceX Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station. Meir and her international crew of astronauts will embark on a long-duration science expedition at the orbiting laboratory.

Why it matters

Meir's mission is part of NASA's ongoing efforts to conduct research that can benefit human space exploration and life on Earth. As an experienced astronaut, Meir's leadership role on this mission highlights Maine's contributions to the U.S. space program.

The details

Meir and her crew, which includes American astronaut Jack Hathaway, European astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, will take about 34 hours to autonomously dock their SpaceX Dragon spacecraft with the space station's Harmony module. During their time on the ISS, the crew will carry out new research to prepare for future human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit.

  • Meir and her crew launched at 5:15 a.m. on February 13, 2026.
  • The spacecraft is expected to dock with the space station at 3:15 p.m. on February 14, 2026.

The players

Jessica Meir

A NASA astronaut hailing from Caribou, Maine, who is serving as the commander of the SpaceX Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station.

Jack Hathaway

An American astronaut who is part of Meir's crew on the SpaceX Crew-12 mission.

Sophie Adenot

A European astronaut who is part of Meir's crew on the SpaceX Crew-12 mission.

Andrey Fedyaev

A Russian cosmonaut who is part of Meir's crew on the SpaceX Crew-12 mission.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This mission highlights Maine's contributions to the U.S. space program and NASA's ongoing efforts to conduct research that can benefit both human space exploration and life on Earth.