NASA Announces Crew Assignments for Upcoming SpaceX Mission to International Space Station

According to a NASA press release, four international crew members from three space agencies have been assigned to the upcoming SpaceX Crew-12 mission, which is scheduled to launch no earlier than Sunday, February 15, 2026. This mission will see the crew embark on a long-duration scientific expedition aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The crew’s work on the orbiting laboratory is intended to contribute to advancements in scientific knowledge and the development of technologies crucial for future human exploration endeavors, including missions to the Moon and Mars. Additionally, the research conducted during this mission is expected to yield benefits for people on Earth.

The Crew-12 mission will comprise NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, who will serve as the spacecraft commander, and Jack Hathaway, who will assume the role of pilot. They will be joined by ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, both of whom will serve as mission specialists. This flight marks the 12th crew rotation mission to the ISS facilitated by SpaceX under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Upon arrival, Crew-12 will join the existing members of Expedition 74 currently aboard the station.

This mission will be Jessica Meir’s second journey to the International Space Station. A NASA astronaut since 2013, Meir, originally from Caribou, Maine, holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Brown University, a master’s degree in space studies from the International Space University, and a doctorate in marine biology from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Her previous spaceflight experience includes a 205-day stay as a flight engineer during Expeditions 61/62, during which she participated in the first three all-woman spacewalks, accumulating over 21 hours outside the station. Since her initial mission, Meir has held various leadership positions within NASA, including assistant to the chief astronaut for commercial crew (SpaceX), deputy for the Flight Integration Division, and assistant to the chief astronaut for the human landing system.

Jack Hathaway, a commander in the United States Navy, was selected as an astronaut candidate in 2021 and will be making his inaugural spaceflight with Crew-12. Hathaway, a native of South Windsor, Connecticut, earned a bachelor’s degree in physics and history from the U.S. Naval Academy. He furthered his education with master’s degrees from Cranfield University in flight dynamics and from the U.S. Naval War College in national security and strategic studies. He is also a graduate of the Empire Test Pilot’s School. At the time of his astronaut selection, Hathaway was serving aboard the USS Truman. He has amassed over 2,500 flight hours in 30 different aircraft, including more than 500 carrier arrested landings and has completed 39 combat missions.

For Sophie Adenot, this mission will represent her first journey into space. Prior to her selection as an ESA astronaut in 2022, Adenot earned an engineering degree specializing in spacecraft and aircraft flight dynamics from ISAE-SUPAERO in Toulouse, France. She also holds a master’s degree in human factors engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her professional background includes experience as a helicopter cockpit design engineer at Airbus Helicopters and as a search and rescue pilot. She later served as a formation flight leader and mission captain before working as a helicopter experimental test pilot for the French Defence Procurement Agency. Adenot has logged more than 3,000 flight hours in 22 different types of helicopters.

Andrey Fedyaev will be undertaking his second long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station. He graduated from the Krasnodar Military Aviation Institute, specializing in aircraft operations and air traffic organization, and is qualified as a pilot engineer. Before his selection as a cosmonaut, Fedyaev served as deputy commander of an aircraft unit, accumulating over 600 flight hours and achieving the rank of second-class military pilot. Selected for the Cosmonaut Corps in 2012, he has served as a test cosmonaut since 2014. His previous spaceflight experience includes a 186-day mission as a flight engineer during NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission in 2023, where he was part of Expedition 69. For his contributions, Fedyaev has been awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation and the Yuri Gagarin Medal.

The International Space Station has been continuously inhabited for over 25 years, serving as a vital platform for advancing scientific knowledge and enabling research that is not feasible on Earth. It acts as a critical testbed for NASA to understand and mitigate the challenges associated with long-duration spaceflight and to foster commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit. As private companies increasingly focus on providing human space transportation and developing destinations for a thriving low Earth orbit economy, NASA is redirecting its resources towards deep space exploration, including the Artemis campaign aimed at preparing for future human missions to Mars.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from NASA

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