Four new astronauts have embarked on a journey to the International Space Station (ISS). The launch of Crew-12 took place on Friday at 5:15 A.M. EST from Cape Canaveral, Fla., aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The team consists of NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. Their day-long journey to orbit will culminate in a docking at the station at approximately 3:15 P.M. EST on Saturday, February 14.
During their time in space, Crew-12 will engage in various scientific experiments. These experiments include studying how spaceflight and microgravity affect blood flow and exploring the potential benefits of vitamin B supplements in protecting astronauts’ eyes from spaceflight-related changes. The team will also conduct simulated moon landings as part of their mission. Additionally, Crew-12 is scheduled to participate in a call with NASA’s Artemis II crew while en route around the moon, as announced by NASA’s administrator, Jared Isaacman, during a press conference on Friday.
The arrival of Crew-12 marks the replacement of Crew-11, who were evacuated from the ISS in January due to an unknown medical issue affecting one of the team members. Following the early departure of Crew-11, the ISS has been manned by just three individuals: NASA astronaut Chris Williams, and cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev.
NASA has confirmed that there were no alterations to the preparation or training of Meir, Hathaway, Adenot, and Fedyaev in response to the incident involving Crew-11. The seamless transition between the two crews underscores the agency’s commitment to maintaining a continuous presence on the ISS and advancing scientific research in space.
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