Who are the astronauts participating in SpaceX's Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station (ISS)?
Exciting times lie ahead as a new crewed mission to the ISS is about to launch! SpaceX's Crew-12 mission, organized for NASA, will transport two experienced astronauts alongside two newcomers for an extended stay aboard the orbital research facility. The Falcon 9 rocket is set to lift off, with the earliest launch window scheduled for 5:15 a.m. EST (10:15 GMT) on February 13, carrying the Crew Dragon spacecraft named "Freedom" into space.
Interestingly, one of the crew members, Andrey Fedyaev, was added to the team later than his colleagues. This change occurred after cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev was removed from the roster in December, reportedly due to an alleged violation of U.S. national security protocols.
This mission is particularly noteworthy because the crew is expected to remain in low Earth orbit for a full eight months, surpassing the usual six-month duration for most missions. This extended stay is possible thanks to a recent upgrade in the Dragon spacecraft’s certified operational capabilities at the ISS.
Meet the Crew of SpaceX's Crew-12
NASA Astronaut
Jessica Meir
Originating from Caribou, Maine, Jessica Meir was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2013. Crew-12 marks her second journey into space and her second time aboard the ISS. During her inaugural mission, which launched in September 2019 as part of the Soyuz MS-15 mission, she spent an impressive 205 days on the space station. Notably, Meir and fellow astronaut Christina Koch accomplished the first three all-female spacewalks during that mission. Between flights, she took on the role of NASA's chief astronaut for the SpaceX commercial crew initiative and served as an assistant to the chief astronaut for the human landing system project. She has also gained experience working within the Flight Integration division.
NASA Astronaut
Jack Hathaway
Prior to his selection as an astronaut in 2021, Jack Hathaway served as a commander in the United States Navy. He holds degrees from prestigious institutions, including the U.S. Naval Academy, Cranfield University in England, and the U.S. Naval War College. Crew-12 will be Hathaway's inaugural journey to space, but he has extensive experience as a naval aviator, accumulating over 2,500 flight hours across 30 different aircraft types, as detailed in his NASA biography.
ESA Astronaut
Sophie Adenot
Sophie Adenot, hailing from France, specialized in spacecraft flight dynamics before earning a Master of Science in human factors engineering from MIT in 2004. She joined the French Air Force in 2005, where she gained valuable experience in search and rescue operations, often in challenging environments. Between 2019 and 2022, Adenot worked as a test pilot before being chosen as an ESA astronaut candidate in 2022. This mission will be her first venture into space.
Roscosmos Cosmonaut
Andrey Fedyaev
Andrey Fedyaev studied air traffic control before enlisting in the Russian Air Force in 2004, where he served until 2013, amassing over 500 flight hours on various aircraft. Selected as a cosmonaut in 2012, Fedyaev previously flew to the ISS as part of SpaceX's Crew-6 mission in 2023.
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Josh Dinner serves as a Staff Writer for Spaceflight at Space.com. With a deep-seated passion for science and space exploration, he has been diligently covering this fascinating field since 2016. His work encompasses the evolution of NASA's commercial spaceflight partnerships and crewed missions from the Space Coast, alongside reporting on NASA's scientific endeavors. In his spare time, Josh enjoys building model rockets at a 1:144 scale and capturing stunning launch photography, which can be found on his Instagram and personal website. To follow him on social media, connect with him on X, where he often shares his thoughts in haiku.
