Nasa has moved up the launch of its Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station to February 11, following the early return of the previous crew due to a medical issue. The astronauts will join the three remaining occupants aboard the orbiting laboratory. The mission originates from Cape Canaveral in Florida.
The Crew-12 mission represents a swift adjustment in Nasa's schedule for the International Space Station (ISS). Originally set for February 15, the launch has been advanced to no earlier than 6:01 a.m. Eastern Time on February 11 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The crew is currently in quarantine, and if all proceeds smoothly, their SpaceX Dragon capsule will dock with the ISS around 10:30 a.m. on February 12.
This follows the premature end to the Crew-11 mission, which returned all four members to Earth on January 15—about a month ahead of schedule—owing to a medical concern with one astronaut. Although the individual remained stable, the ISS lacked the necessary equipment for a proper diagnosis. The departure left the station under the temporary oversight of three personnel: Nasa astronaut Chris Williams and two Russian cosmonauts.
Crew-12 comprises Nasa astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, the European Space Agency's Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. They will bolster the station's operations, restoring a fuller complement of inhabitants.
A recent hiccup involved SpaceX grounding its Falcon 9 rocket due to an upper-stage malfunction, which briefly cast doubt on the timeline. However, the Federal Aviation Administration cleared the vehicle for flight on February 6, paving the way for the mission.
Nasa plans to broadcast the prelaunch, launch, and docking events live on NASA+, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube, with coverage beginning at 4 a.m. Eastern Time on launch day. This mission underscores the ongoing international collaboration in space exploration amid operational challenges.
