SpaceX successfully launches Crew-12 Dragon mission to the Space Station

On February 13, 2026, SpaceX launched NASA’s Crew-12 mission, sending a four-person international crew to the International Space Station aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft. The Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon spacecraft placed the astronauts on a trajectory to the orbiting laboratory.

The crew consists of NASA astronauts Jessica Meir (commander) and Jack Hathaway (pilot), ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. All four were already strapped in and ready when SpaceX posted “Crew-12 is go for launch!” just before the countdown reached zero.

Preparations in the days leading up to launch had been intensive. The space rocket maker and NASA teams completed a full dress rehearsal of launch-day operations. A static-fire test of the Falcon 9 first stage was successfully conducted.

Weather in the ascent corridor initially forced two delays, first from February 11 to 12, then to 13 – but by the morning of launch, conditions were 90 % favorable. At 3:33 a.m. ET, SpaceX confirmed all systems were green, and the webcast would begin one hour before liftoff.

As the countdown hit zero, the Falcon 9 rose from the pad in a column of flame. Minutes later, the first stage separated, and the second stage kept pushing Dragon into orbit. Livestream video footage showed the crew monitoring their instruments while the spacecraft accelerated to orbital velocity.

After stage-separation, the first stage returned to Earth and landed on Landing Zone 40 (LZ-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This mission wraps the second flight for the first stage booster.

Crew-12 marks the twelfth operational crew rotation under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The astronauts will spend approximately eight months aboard the ISS as part of Expeditions 74 and 75.

Their mission focuses on scientific discovery, including human health studies that examine how the body adapts to long-duration microgravity and subtle changes in blood flow. The international composition of the crew underscores the continued cooperation between NASA, ESA, and Roscosmos in low-Earth orbit research.

With the launch completed, the Dragon spacecraft is now en route to the station. Docking is expected within 24 hours.