A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule executed a precise Valentine’s Day docking with the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday, restoring the orbiting laboratory to its full seven-member complement after operating with a reduced crew for nearly a month.
The spacecraft linked up with the space-facing port of the station’s forward Harmony module at 3:15 p.m. EST, completing a 34-hour journey that began Friday with a launch from Kennedy Space Center aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.
“Grateful to be on board, and we’re ready to get to work,” radioed Crew 12 commander Jessica Meir, marking her second long-duration mission aboard the station.
Meir was joined by veteran Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev and first-time spaceflyers Jack Hathaway and Sophie Adenot of the European Space Agency. Roughly two hours after docking, the crew opened the hatch and floated into the station, where they were greeted with hugs and handshakes during a brief welcome ceremony.
Awaiting them were station commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, Sergey Mikaev, and NASA astronaut Chris Williams, who have been aboard since launching last November on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft.
“Welcome to Crew 12,” Kud-Sverchkov said. “We are happy they all arrived safe and sound. We’ve been waiting for this moment for a very long time. We’re really happy and proud to work as a team here.”
Meir highlighted the international spirit of the station, describing it as a powerful example of global cooperation in orbit. “You look around at the crew up here, and it’s really a testament to everything we do — so many countries represented, so many backgrounds, so many disciplines,” she said.
For Adenot, a former French Air Force helicopter test pilot and experienced skydiver and diver, the ride to orbit was exhilarating. “SpaceX gave us quite a ride, very fun,” she said, adding that her first view of Earth from orbit was “mind blowing.”
“The Earth is so beautiful from up here. We see no lines, no borders,” she reflected. “It was a very big moment for us.”
Restoring Research and Spacewalk Capability
Crew 12 replaces the departing Crew 11 team — Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and Oleg Platonov — whose early return last month due to a medical issue temporarily reduced the ISS population to just three.
The four members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station pose together for a crew portrait in their pressure suits at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California. From left are, Roscosmos cosmonaut and Mission Specialist Andrey Fedyaev, NASA astronauts Jack Hathaway and Jessica Meir, Pilot and Commander respectively, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut and Mission Specialist Sophie Adenot. Credit: SpaceX
Although the space station can technically operate with a skeleton crew, such a configuration significantly limits scientific output. A lone NASA astronaut in the U.S. segment cannot conduct the full slate of research, maintenance, and technology demonstrations typically carried out during a standard expedition. Spacewalks, which require at least two astronauts operating under a strict buddy system, were also off the table during the reduced staffing period.
NASA managers had explored moving Crew 12’s launch forward to as early as Feb. 11 to shorten the period during which Williams was the sole U.S. segment operator. However, scheduling conflicts tied to preparations for NASA’s upcoming Artemis II mission, combined with high winds along the Crew Dragon ascent corridor, pushed the launch to Friday.
With Crew 12 now aboard, research operations in the U.S. segment are expected to return to normal pace, and spacewalks can once again be scheduled as required.
“Crew 12 is honored to join our Expedition 74 friends and colleagues … to add our chapter to the story of the International Space Station,” Hathaway radioed during final approach.
Private Medical Conference Requested
While the rendezvous and docking proceeded flawlessly, the crew did request a private medical conference (PMC) earlier in the day and confirmed after docking that a follow-up consultation with a flight surgeon was desired.
“We’re going to go forward with that plan, so if you could just have the surgeon ready for us after we get all docked we would appreciate that,” Hathaway said. Mission control responded that medical support would be ready.
Under strict privacy policies, NASA does not disclose astronaut medical information, and officials provided no details about the reason for the consultation.
Roughly half of astronauts experience some degree of space adaptation syndrome — including nausea and disorientation — during their first days in microgravity. These symptoms typically subside within a few days as the body adjusts to weightlessness.
With docking complete and a full crew restored, the ISS begins a new phase of operations, once again functioning at full scientific and operational capacity as Expedition 74 continues its mission in low Earth orbit.
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