The four astronauts assigned to NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 mission have started a two-week quarantine at the Johnson Space Center in Houston to safeguard their health before launch. The crew, comprising members from NASA, the European Space Agency, and Roscosmos, is preparing for a flight to the International Space Station scheduled no earlier than February 11. This mission highlights ongoing international collaboration in space exploration.
On January 28, the Crew-12 team entered isolation at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, following standard protocols established during the Apollo era to minimize health risks during flight. Contact with outsiders is limited, with remote communication preferred and any in-person interactions requiring medical screening for family and essential personnel.
The crew consists of commander Jessica Meir and pilot Jack Hathaway from NASA, mission specialist Sophie Adenot from the European Space Agency, and mission specialist Andrey Fedyaev from Roscosmos. Meir and Fedyaev are on their second spaceflights, while Adenot and Hathaway, both former test pilots, will experience their first. Notably, Meir will fly on a SpaceX Dragon for the first time, and Fedyaev will become the first cosmonaut to launch twice aboard this spacecraft.
Prior to quarantine, the astronauts completed a full crew equipment interface test on January 12. They donned suits, entered the Dragon mockup, checked for leaks, adjusted seats, and tested communications while acclimating to the spacecraft's sounds.
Launch preparations continue with the team set to travel from Houston to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on February 6, maintaining quarantine there for final activities. The mission will lift off no earlier than 6 a.m. EST on February 11 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, aboard a SpaceX Dragon propelled by a Falcon 9 rocket. Backup windows are available on February 12 at 5:38 a.m. EST and February 13 at 5:15 a.m. EST. NASA is also planning the Artemis II mission for February, with final launch decisions based on readiness.
Once in orbit, Crew-12 will dock with the International Space Station to join Expeditions 74 and 75, contributing to scientific research and exploration for approximately nine months. This flight underscores continued partnerships among space agencies.
