NASA is speeding up plans to launch astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). The new target date is February 11 for the SpaceX Crew-12 mission. This mission will send four astronauts to join the current crew of three on the ISS, who have been conducting maintenance and science projects since the early departure of Crew-11.
The Crew-12 team includes NASA’s Jessica Meir as the mission commander, Jack Hathaway as the pilot, and specialists Sophie Adenot from the European Space Agency and Andrey Fedyaev from Russia’s Roscosmos. Fedyaev stepped in recently for Oleg Artemyev, who left the mission due to a national security issue.
This mission will have the crew stay on the ISS for nine months, longer than the usual six months. For Meir and Fedyaev, this will be their second time in space, while Hathaway and Adenot are making their first trips. They will launch aboard the Crew Dragon capsule, named “Grace,” from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Statistics show a growing interest in space missions. According to a recent survey, about 60% of Americans support increased funding for space exploration. This enthusiasm reflects a broader trend in public interest for space travel and research.
The Crew-12 astronauts will join NASA’s Chris Williams and cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev as part of ISS Expedition 74. This crew will eventually transition to Expedition 75 during their rotation.
The planned liftoff is scheduled for February 11 at 6:00 a.m. EST, with backup dates ready in case of delays on February 12 and 13. Excitement is building as the countdown begins, marking another step in international cooperation for space exploration.
