NASA and SpaceX are gearing up for a new mission to the International Space Station (ISS). They’re aiming for a launch as soon as this week, depending on the weather. The latest plan is to launch the Crew-12 mission on Thursday, February 12, at 5:38 a.m. EST from Cape Canaveral, Florida. However, forecasts have caused mission managers to push back the launch date by at least a day.
Officials are keeping a close eye on weather conditions, especially for the Eastern seaboard. If there are any issues during the launch, it’s crucial that astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev can splash down safely.
Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, noted that high winds, around 27.6 to 32.2 mph, are expected due to a low-pressure system in the area. He said, “We’ll need to reassess the forecast on Tuesday to see if the launch date needs to change again.” Currently, the team is only dealing with a communication issue between the Crew Dragon capsule “Freedom” and the launch team. Otherwise, everything else is ready.
The Crew-12 mission is important because it will bring the ISS back to its full crew of seven. Recently, the station has been running with just three astronauts since mid-January. This was due to an early evacuation from the Crew-11 mission, which was the first medical emergency in ISS history.
It’s a busy time at Cape Canaveral. NASA engineers are troubleshooting issues with the Artemis moon rocket while preparing for another test before a new launch date in early March. “We’re in constant communication with them,” Stich mentioned regarding the Artemis team and their ongoing work.
Additionally, on the same launch day, United Launch Alliance is scheduled to launch its Vulcan rocket for the Space Force. Depending on the weather for the Crew-12 launch, there might be a chance to postpone it to allow for the Vulcan rocket launch, which is planned for 3:20 a.m. EST on the same day.
As for the crew access arm at Kennedy Space Center, SpaceX is lowering it for maintenance. Bill Gerstenmaier from SpaceX explained that this is necessary to replace bearings that support the arm. “These are unique to launch pad 39A and are different from those at SLC-40,” he said. While the arm is being serviced, it can be quickly reinstalled if needed for future crewed launches.
This mission represents an exciting step in space exploration, especially highlighting the collaboration between NASA and SpaceX. Recently, a survey indicated that over 70% of Americans support increased investment in space missions, reflecting growing public interest in space travel.
For those wanting detailed updates on the mission, feel free to check out [NASA’s official page](https://www.nasa.gov/) or follow their social media accounts for real-time information.
