Crew-12 Launches

NASA

by Gary Daines

February 13, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

A historic launch took place on Friday, February 13, 2026, as a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully carried the Dragon spacecraft into orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The mission, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12, marked another milestone in the Commercial Crew Program, aiming to sustain continuous crewed operations at the International Space Station (ISS). Onboard were an international crew of four astronauts: Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway from NASA, Sophie Adenot from ESA (European Space Agency), and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. The spacecraft lifted off at 5:15 a.m. EST, beginning their journey to the ISS, where they will join other crew members for a mission rich in scientific research and exploration. This launch underscores NASA’s commitment to leveraging partnerships with private companies like SpaceX to maintain a reliable presence on the ISS. The Crew-12 mission is part of a broader effort to ensure ongoing human activity in low Earth orbit while paving the way for future deep-space exploration. The diverse crew reflects the global collaboration in space exploration, bringing together astronauts from NASA, ESA, and Roscosmos under one unified mission. During their stay on the ISS, the Crew-12 astronauts will conduct a variety of experiments and technology demonstrations that promise to advance our understanding of space and improve life on Earth. These efforts align with NASA’s broader goals of preparing for future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The crew’s work will include research in fields such as biology, physics, and materials science, offering insights that could revolutionize industries and benefit humanity. The

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Originally published on NASA on 2/13/2026