Four crew members of NASA’s Crew-12 mission launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, early Friday morning. They are heading to the International Space Station (ISS) for important scientific research.
The crew includes NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. They are expected to dock with the ISS at around 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, February 14.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman emphasized the teamwork and preparation that went into this mission. He remarked that the research conducted aboard the ISS will help future space exploration and provide benefits back on Earth. This mission is a step forward for human presence in low Earth orbit and future travels to the Moon and Mars.
Once the Dragon spacecraft is in flight, SpaceX will ensure everything runs smoothly from their mission control in California. NASA will oversee operations from their Mission Control Center in Houston.
You can watch the live coverage of their docking and the welcome ceremony on platforms like NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.
Once aboard the ISS, Crew-12 will join Expedition 74, which already includes NASA astronaut Chris Williams and two Roscosmos cosmonauts. This will bring the crew count on the ISS back to seven.
Crew-12’s mission includes significant scientific studies. They will examine bacteria that causes pneumonia to improve heart treatments and will test methods for generating intravenous fluids in space. Research on plant health monitoring aims to advance food production in future missions.
This mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which collaborates with private companies to send astronauts to the ISS. This partnership enhances research opportunities and paves the way for future missions beyond Earth’s orbit.
For more details on NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, visit NASA.
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Commercial Crew, Humans in Space, International Space Station (ISS), ISS Research, Space Operations Mission Directorate
