SpaceX Crew-12 Mission Launches to International Space Station

SpaceX and NASA successfully launched a new crew to the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday, February 13, 2026, just weeks after a previous crew was evacuated due to a medical emergency in space.

The SpaceX Crew-12 mission took off at 5:15 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. NASA noted that the spacecraft would reach speeds of about 17,000 miles per hour in orbit, autonomously docking with the ISS’s Harmony module the following day, on February 14 at 3:15 p.m.

Aboard the Dragon spacecraft are NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, Sophie Adenot from the European Space Agency, and Andrei Fezyaev from Roscosmos.

Following the launch, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman expressed optimism, stating, “This is a really great start to the day.” He highlighted how the mission exemplifies NASA’s commitment to being mission-focused, especially after coordinating the early return of Crew-11 and advancing Crew-12’s launch date. He also mentioned preparations for the upcoming Artemis 2 mission, set to open its window in early March.

According to NASA, this flight marks SpaceX’s twelfth crew rotation under its Commercial Crew Program, and Crew-12 will conduct scientific research and technology demonstrations aimed at benefiting life on Earth and paving the way for future missions to the Moon and Mars.

In January, after a medical incident on the ISS, NASA faced an “unprecedented” situation, leading to an early return of crew members—reportedly the first such instance in the station’s 25-year history. Isaacman shared that a crew member dealt with a medical issue on January 7 but was stable enough for the decision to return home.

He emphasized, “For more than 60 years, NASA has set the standard for safety and security in human spaceflight. The health and well-being of our astronauts has always been and continues to be our top priority.”

The crew from the earlier mission arrived back on Earth on January 15th.