NASA and SpaceX Reschedule Crew-12 Launch to February 13th to Deliver Astronauts to the International Space Station
Video NASA permits cell phone apply in space: Astronauts will be able to take selfies on their missions
NASA and SpaceX have rescheduled the launch of the Crew-12 mission for Friday, February 13th, to send four astronauts to the International Space Station, following a postponement due to unfavorable weather conditions. This mission underscores the ongoing collaboration between NASA and private space companies in maintaining a continuous human presence in orbit.
According to the agency, liftoff is now targeted for 5:15 AM Eastern Time from the Space Force Station at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
“Mission teams completed a weather review Tuesday morning and waived off Thursday’s, February 12th, launch opportunity due to forecasted weather conditions along the Crew-12 flight path,” the agency stated in a release.
NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev remain in quarantine at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of the next launch opportunity.
Crew-12 will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, named Freedom, atop the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 40.
How to Watch the Launch
The launch can be viewed starting at 3:15 AM on the agency’s YouTube channel. It will also be streamed on NASA’s other social media platforms.
If launched on February 13th, Crew-12 is expected to arrive at the space station at approximately 3:15 PM on Saturday, February 14th.
The Freedom spacecraft has previously flown on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 and Crew-9 missions, as well as the Axiom Mission 2 and Axiom Mission 3 private astronaut missions.
Meir and Hathaway will serve as commander and pilot of the spacecraft, respectively, while Adenot and Fedyaev will be mission specialists.
Video Sound of electrical discharges and whirlwinds captured on the surface of Mars
Crew-12 will join the Expedition 74 crew already aboard the station.
Mission Objectives
The eight-month mission will focus on conducting research, technology demonstrations, and maintenance aboard the orbiting laboratory. The ongoing research is vital for preparing for future long-duration spaceflights.
Experiments will include studies on bacteria that cause pneumonia to improve treatments, on-demand intravenous fluid generation for future space missions, automated plant health monitoring, research on plant-microbe interactions to improve food production in space, and investigations into how physical characteristics can affect blood flow during spaceflight.
Once on board, Crew-12 will receive a Soyuz spacecraft with three latest crew members – NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina – in July. They will also bid farewell to the Soyuz carrying Williams, Kud-Sverchkov, and Mikaev.
The crew is also expected to witness the arrival of SpaceX Dragon, Roscosmos Progress, and Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL spacecraft for station resupply.
FTA
Video Astronaut returns to earth for medical reasons, here’s what you need to know:
