NASA and SpaceX’s Crew-12 mission, carrying four astronauts aboard the Crew Dragon capsule Freedom, reached orbit after a Feb. 13, 2026, 5:15 a.m. EST (1115 GMT) liftoff from Cape Canaveral and is scheduled to dock at the International Space Station on Feb. 14 at about 3:15 p.m. EST (2015 GMT). The arrival closes a roughly 34-hour transit and will restore the station to a full seven-person complement after a recent, early return of Crew-11. NASA’s live docking coverage begins at 1:15 p.m. EST (1815 GMT), followed by hatch opening and welcome remarks around 5 p.m. EST.
Key takeaways
- Launch: Falcon 9 lifted Crew-12 on Feb. 13, 2026, at 5:15 a.m. EST (1115 GMT) from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- Docking: Crew-12’s Dragon capsule Freedom is scheduled to dock with the ISS on Feb. 14 at about 3:15 p.m. EST (2015 GMT); NASA begins live coverage at 1:15 p.m. EST (1815 GMT).
- Crew composition: Commander Jessica Meir (NASA), Pilot Jack Hathaway (NASA), Mission Specialist Sophie Adenot (ESA, France), and Cosmonaut Andrey Fedaev (Russia) will serve an eight-month increment.
- Purpose: The flight restores the ISS to seven crew members after Crew-11 returned early in the previous month following a medical evacuation.
- Vehicle status: Falcon 9’s first stage performed a nominal landing at Landing Pad 40; Dragon Freedom separated and opened its nose cone to prepare for rendezvous.
- Tradition: The crew unveiled a handmade crocheted Gaia Earth zero-g indicator made by crew family and friends.
Background
The International Space Station operates with rotating crews supplied by national and commercial partners. In January, Crew-11 returned to Earth earlier than planned due to an onboard medical evacuation — the first of its kind for the station — leaving the lab temporarily short-staffed. NASA and SpaceX moved the replacement flight earlier than originally scheduled to restore the station’s full scientific and maintenance capacity.
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon system, flown atop a Falcon 9 booster from Cape Canaveral SLC-40, is now one of the primary means of transporting crews to low Earth orbit under NASA’s commercial crew program. Each Crew Dragon is certified for multiple missions; Freedom is the capsule for Crew-12 and follows the company’s standard prelaunch and rendezvous procedures: ascent, stage separation, upper-stage insertion, capsule deployment, orbital phasing and autonomous docking.
Main event
On Feb. 13, Falcon 9 ignited and lifted the Crew-12 stack on schedule at 5:15 a.m. EST (1115 GMT). Flight controllers reported a clean ascent: first-stage separation and return were executed as planned, and the upper stage injected Dragon Freedom into the nominal orbital insertion point. The booster completed a controlled landing at Landing Pad 40 on the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
After separation, Dragon Freedom deployed and began a roughly 34-hour rendezvous profile toward the ISS. The capsule team reported that the nose cone covering the docking mechanism opened for flight and that the crew—still wearing launch-and-entry suits—switched to less restrictive flight clothing to prepare for docking operations and station integration.
Docking is timed for about 3:15 p.m. EST (2015 GMT) on Feb. 14. NASA’s webcast of rendezvous and docking begins at 1:15 p.m. EST (1815 GMT), with hatch opening and formal welcome remarks currently scheduled around 5 p.m. EST. Mission managers will monitor approach parameters and any required abort windows before final capture and hard mate.
Analysis & implications
Restoring the ISS to seven crewmembers is operationally significant: it returns the station’s full complement of human resources for ongoing research, maintenance and vehicle traffic management. With four new crew members joining three already aboard, planned experiments that had been deferred or reduced because of staffing constraints can resume at normal tempo.
The Crew-12 mission also highlights the flexibility of NASA’s commercial partnerships. SpaceX’s ability to accelerate a launch manifest to replace an early-return crew reduced the operational gap on station and minimized the risk of cascading schedule impacts for cargo and crew rotations. That said, accelerating schedules places additional burden on flight teams and ground support, which must balance speed with thorough readiness checks.
International cooperation remains central: Crew-12 includes NASA, ESA and Roscosmos personnel, demonstrating continued multi-agency coordination despite broader geopolitical tensions. The presence of international crewmembers enables partner experiments and assures continuity in joint operations and logistics aboard the ISS.
Comparison & data
| Before Crew-12 | After Crew-12 arrival |
|---|---|
| ISS crew count: 3 (temporarily understaffed after Crew-11 early return) | ISS crew count: 7 (full nominal complement restored) |
| Recent change: Crew-11 returned early (medical evacuation) last month | Crew-12 mission length: planned ~8 months |
The table above summarizes the immediate operational change: the station moved from a reduced crew level back to its standard seven-person staffing. Restoring personnel affects experiment throughput, scheduled maintenance, and contingency coverage for visiting vehicles over the coming months.
Reactions & quotes
Flight controllers and the crew exchanged upbeat but concise radio traffic during ascent and early orbit operations; those comments reflect normal mission cadence and positive telemetry.
“Dragon, SpaceX, nominal trajectory.”
Mission flight controller (NASA/SpaceX comms)
Shortly after separation, Crew-12 commander Jessica Meir offered a personal reflection that was relayed publicly as the crew entered orbit.
“We have left the Earth, but the Earth has not left us.”
Jessica Meir, Crew-12 commander (NASA)
European Space Agency and Russian mission representatives underscored the operational importance of the relief flight in brief statements during prelaunch and postlaunch coverage; those remarks emphasized continuity of scientific work on the ISS.
Unconfirmed
- Exact hatch-opening timeline: NASA lists a 5 p.m. EST target for hatch opening and welcome remarks, but managers may adjust the time depending on docking and vestibule check outcomes.
- Any late crew schedule changes or medical notes beyond publicly stated readiness have not been released and remain unconfirmed.
Bottom line
Crew-12’s timely launch and scheduled Valentine’s Day docking are a practical recovery for ISS operations after an unexpected early return of Crew-11. If docking proceeds normally, the station will regain full staffing for an eight-month increment, allowing deferred experiments and maintenance to resume and reducing pressure on upcoming crew and cargo rotations.
Watch NASA’s live webcast beginning at 1:15 p.m. EST (1815 GMT) on Feb. 14 for real-time confirmation of approach, capture and hatch opening. Mission managers will provide additional updates and a postlaunch press conference recording from Feb. 13 remains available for specifics about ascent and vehicle performance.