Lead
On Feb. 13, 2026, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 successfully launched the Crew-12 mission from Cape Canaveral, placing the Crew Dragon capsule Freedom into its planned orbit. The four-person crew — commander Jessica Meir, pilot Jack Hathaway, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedaev — are en route to the International Space Station for an eight-month expedition. The booster landed cleanly at Landing Pad 40 and the Dragon vehicle separated and opened its forward hatch for docking preparations. Docking with the ISS is scheduled for Feb. 14 at about 3:15 p.m. EST (20:15 GMT), with NASA coverage beginning at 1:15 p.m. EST (18:15 GMT).
Key Takeaways
- Launch: Falcon 9 liftoff occurred on Feb. 13, 2026 at ~5:17 a.m. EST (10:17 UTC), on schedule after a NASA webcast that began at 3:15 a.m. EST.
- Crew manifest: The flight carries Jessica Meir (commander), Jack Hathaway (pilot), Sophie Adenot (ESA), and Andrey Fedaev (Roscosmos) for an approximately eight-month ISS stay.
- Booster recovery: The first stage executed a planned return and landed at Landing Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral roughly eight minutes after liftoff.
- Dragon in orbit: The upper stage deployed Dragon Freedom to the target orbit; the capsule opened its nose cone to expose the docking port during coast.
- Schedule: Docking is planned for Feb. 14 at ~3:15 p.m. EST (20:15 GMT); NASA will stream approach and rendezvous starting at 1:15 p.m. EST.
- Mission context: Crew-12 was moved up following Crew-11’s early, medical-evacuation return last month; this flight restores a full crew complement to the station.
Background
The Commercial Crew program, a partnership between NASA and SpaceX, supplies routine crew rotation flights to the ISS using Crew Dragon vehicles launched on Falcon 9 rockets. Crew-12 uses the Dragon capsule Freedom, one of five Crew Dragon capsules certified for human transport, continuing a cadence of crewed flights that began in 2020. NASA and international partners schedule missions to maintain continuous human presence on the ISS and to support station science, maintenance and logistics.
Crew-12 was advanced after Crew-11 returned earlier than planned in January 2026 following a medical evacuation — the first such early departure in recent station operations. Agencies prioritized restoring the crew complement; NASA and SpaceX revised manifesting to accelerate Crew-12’s launch window. The mission is multinational: it includes NASA, the European Space Agency and Roscosmos participants, reflecting the ISS’s collaborative operations.
Main Event
Countdown proceeded through the late-load fueling sequence, with SpaceX reporting RP-1 and liquid oxygen tanking were complete for the first stage and second-stage LOX topped off prior to T-0. The crew closed the Dragon hatch and strapped into their seats inside Freedom in the early hours of Feb. 13 for the planned 5:15 a.m. EST launch window.
At liftoff, Falcon 9 cleared the tower and climbed on a nominal trajectory. Approximately eight minutes after liftoff the first stage completed its boostback and landing burn, touching down at Landing Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral. Telemetry and public video showed a smooth booster recovery and nominal staging events.
The upper stage delivered Dragon to its insertion point and the capsule separated as planned, floating free on the start of a roughly 34-hour transit to the ISS. Flight controllers reported nominal avionics and environmental readings, and the crew transmitted a short message emphasizing teamwork and international cooperation as the vehicle coasted to its phasing orbit.
Following separation, Dragon opened its forward nose cone to expose the docking mechanism and the crew unveiled a handmade zero-gravity indicator: a crocheted Earth model dubbed Gaia with small attachments representing each crewmember. The crew will change out of launch suits and begin on-orbit checks en route to Friday’s rendezvous and docking attempt.
Analysis & Implications
Operationally, this launch reinforces the reliability of the Falcon 9/Crew Dragon stack: stage recovery, vehicle separation and capsule deployment all occurred within nominal margins. Continued success helps NASA sustain its ISS operations cadence and provides confidence for upcoming crew rotations and commercial missions.
Strategically, advancing Crew-12 underscores how flexible manifesting can mitigate unexpected station contingencies such as Crew-11’s early return. The rapid rescheduling reduced station crew shortfalls and limited disruptions to planned research and maintenance activities that depend on a full complement of astronauts.
Internationally, having ESA and Roscosmos members aboard maintains the station’s collaborative science program and diplomatic ties in low-Earth orbit. The flight also demonstrates the interplay between commercial providers and government agencies in preserving long-duration human spaceflight capability.
Economically, regular, successful commercial crew launches bolster SpaceX’s position in the human spaceflight market and support NASA’s shift toward partnering roles. Continued low-cost, high-frequency access to LEO contributes to more predictable planning for experiments, resupply and commercial opportunities on and around the ISS.
Comparison & Data
| Mission | Launch date | Booster recovery | Planned duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crew-12 (Freedom) | Feb. 13, 2026 | Landing Pad 40, Cape Canaveral (successful) | ~8 months |
| Crew-11 | Returned early Jan. 2026 | Booster recovered on prior launch | Shortened due to medical evacuation |
The table highlights the operational outcome for Crew-12 relative to the immediate previous crew rotation. Successful booster recovery and on-time insertion continue a pattern of high mission reliability for SpaceX and the Commercial Crew program. That continuity matters for scientific scheduling aboard the station and for maintaining international crew presence.
Reactions & Quotes
Mission control and the crew exchanged upbeat messages after separation and landing, reflecting normal post-launch exchanges and crew morale following a successful ascent.
“It turns out Friday the 13th is a very lucky day,” flight controllers relayed to the crew after successful events during ascent.
Mission Control
Commander Jessica Meir responded with a brief reflection on the significance of teamwork and the journey into orbit.
“We have left the Earth, but the Earth has not left us,” Meir said, thanking the teams that supported the flight.
Commander Jessica Meir
ESA and international partners highlighted the mission’s role in sustaining research and cooperation on the ISS.
“This flight restores critical scientific capacity at the station and demonstrates international collaboration in low-Earth orbit,” an ESA representative noted.
European Space Agency (statement)
Unconfirmed
- Any minor telemetry anomalies briefly monitored during ascent have not been publicly detailed by SpaceX or NASA as of this update.
- Specific scheduling adjustments to on-orbit experiments for the incoming crew have not been finalized publicly and may shift after docking and mission-planning reviews.
Bottom Line
SpaceX’s Crew-12 launch on Feb. 13, 2026, restored a full crew presence to the International Space Station after the early return of Crew-11. The mission proceeded nominally: Falcon 9 delivered Crew Dragon Freedom to orbit, the booster recovered at Landing Pad 40, and the capsule is positioned to dock on Feb. 14 as scheduled.
The flight reinforces the operational resilience of the Commercial Crew architecture and keeps the station’s science and maintenance timelines on track. Watch NASA’s Feb. 14 rendezvous coverage for docking confirmation and the start of Crew-12’s eight-month on-orbit work.
Sources
- Space.com live updates — news live coverage and timeline
- NASA — official webcast and mission briefings (official)
- SpaceX — launch and vehicle status (official)