Four new crew members, including two from the United States, received a warm welcome upon their arrival at the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday.
The spacecraft, transporting NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Russian cosmonaut Andrei Fezyaev, docked with the ISS at 3:16 p.m. ET.
“Everyone arrived safely. We have been looking forward to this moment for a long time,” commented Sergei Kud Sverchkov, a current member of the Russian Federation’s Roscosmos crew on board.
The Dragon spacecraft was propelled into orbit by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket early Friday morning.
“We’re thrilled to be here and ready to get to work,” Meir said after meeting the ISS crew. “We made it. We’re here. We love you.”
Later, Adenot mentioned how much she enjoyed the journey.
“It was quite a ride, but it was a lot of fun,” she remarked. “Seeing the Earth from above is mesmerizing; you can’t distinguish any lines or boundaries.”
They arrived at an unusually quiet orbital laboratory.
Originally, the four crew members were expected to overlap in space with the departing team on Mission Crew 11. However, that group had to return to Earth early due to medical issues. (NASA has maintained privacy regarding the identities of the affected astronauts.)
The Crew-11 astronauts departed on January 14, leaving behind NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Russian cosmonauts Kudo Sverchkov and Sergei Mikayev on the ISS.
The four new arrivals will be designated Crew 12, increasing the ISS’s occupancy to seven astronauts.
“Floating in zero gravity is an incredible experience,” Hathaway said after greeting fellow passengers. “The journey was fantastic, shared with great friends from Crew 12.”
John Rau/AP
The crew launched from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket at 5:15 a.m. ET from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.
NASA delayed the launch by two days due to high winds affecting the flight path earlier in the week. The agency continuously monitors weather conditions for safe ascent and emergency scenarios.
Recently, a Falcon 9 incident during an unmanned mission to deploy SpaceX’s Starlink satellites prompted NASA to review safety findings before this launch.
Following the Feb. 2 incident, SpaceX paused launches for an investigation with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA later permitted SpaceX to resume operations, successfully deploying Starlink satellites thereafter.
NASA officials confirmed in a recent press conference that there have been no significant issues while the ISS has been understaffed, allowing a relaxed timeline for the arrival of new crew members.
“We anticipate additional support soon, but will launch when ready,” stated Dina Contera, NASA’s deputy director of ISS programs at the Johnson Space Center.
NASA
The Crew-12 mission members are slated to stay at the ISS for approximately eight months, where they will conduct scientific research including food production in space, examine how microgravity impacts blood flow, and study bacteria linked to pneumonia. NASA states these endeavors will enhance research for future missions to the Moon and Mars and will provide benefits for humanity on Earth.
This mission marks Hathaway and Adenot’s first spaceflight, while Fezyaev is on his second journey. Meir has previously spent 205 days aboard the ISS starting in July 2019 and made history with fellow astronaut Christina Koch during NASA’s first all-female spacewalk. They are also part of the Artemis II lunar orbit mission set to launch in March.
On Saturday, Meir expressed her surprise at the collaborative spirit that has turned the ISS into a beacon of human achievement.
“This represents a commitment from five nations, underpinned by trust, collaboration, and powered by science, innovation, and curiosity that has been upheld for decades,” she stated before entering the ISS. “Looking back at Earth from these windows, we are reminded that cooperation is not just possible, but essential. There are no borders in space, and hope transcends all.”
Source: www.nbcnews.com
