A new crew of four astronauts has safely arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) to begin an eight-month science mission in space.
The team traveled aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule named Freedom, which was launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida on Friday, February 13. The spacecraft docked with the ISS on Saturday, February 14.
The mission, known as Crew-12, is the 12th long-duration ISS mission flown by NASA using SpaceX rockets since the private company began sending U.S. astronauts to space in May 2020.
Experienced and First-Time Astronauts
Crew-12 is led by Jessica Meir, 48, a marine biologist and veteran astronaut. This is her second mission to the ISS. She previously made history alongside Christina Koch during the world’s first all-female spacewalk nearly seven years ago.
Joining her on the mission are:
Jack Hathaway, 43, a former U.S. Navy fighter pilot making his first trip to space.
Sophie Adenot, 43, a French astronaut from the European Space Agency and a master helicopter pilot.
Andrey Fedyaev, a Russian cosmonaut on his second mission to the ISS.
Warm Welcome in Orbit
The new crew was welcomed aboard by the station’s current residents: NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev.
The ISS, about the size of a football field, is the largest human-made object in space. It has been continuously occupied for more than two decades. The station is operated through international cooperation between the United States, Russia, Canada, Japan, and 11 European countries.
Focus on Science and Research
During their eight-month stay, Crew-12 will conduct scientific experiments in areas such as biology, medicine, physics, and space technology. These studies help scientists understand how living and working in space affects the human body and support future missions to the Moon and Mars.
The arrival of Crew-12 continues the growing partnership between NASA and SpaceX, highlighting the important role of private space companies in modern space exploration.
