Two Americans, a French astronaut, and a Russian cosmonaut are excited to launch on Wednesday to the International Space Station (ISS). They’ll be replacing four crew members who had to return early last month due to a medical issue.
The team—led by Commander Jessica Meir—includes Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. They’re set to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 6:01 a.m. EST. If all goes as planned, they’ll dock with the ISS on Thursday at 10:30 a.m.
Originally, this flight faced delays, waiting for NASA’s Artemis II moon mission. However, that mission is now postponed until March due to a hydrogen leak, allowing the Falcon 9 flight to take place sooner.
Jessica Meir shared her excitement during a virtual news conference, saying, “It’s getting very, very real.” The crew arrived in Florida a few days ago and has been busy preparing for launch. Meir mentioned enjoying some family time on the beach, where she even played with her daughter using a toy rocket.
The ISS has been operating with a reduced crew since the departure of Crew 11, which included Commander Zena Cardman and her team. They were supposed to stay until February 20 but had to return early due to a medical issue on board. Thankfully, all crew members returned safely and in good spirits.
Now, Crew 12 will bring the station’s total back to seven. This will help with maintaining systems and allow for more experiments and spacewalk opportunities. Meir noted that although they didn’t get a formal handover from Crew 11, they were well-prepared to jump into action.
Crew 12 brings varied experience; Meir and Fedyaev have both had long stints on the ISS before. In contrast, Hathaway and Adenot are making their first journey into space. Meir reassured that Commander Chris Williams, currently stationed aboard the ISS, has everything running smoothly and is ready for their arrival.
In recent years, space missions have garnered more public interest, especially as private companies like SpaceX lead the charge in human spaceflight. Data shows that in 2021, around 52% of Americans expressed support for sending humans to Mars within the next decade. This growing enthusiasm reflects a renewed passion for space exploration across all ages.
It’s exciting to see how the Crew 12 mission will contribute to ongoing research and international collaboration in space. As astronauts venture into the unknown, they remind us of the endless possibilities that lie beyond our planet.
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Spacewalk, International Space Station, Space, NASA, SpaceX
