NASA and SpaceX are now targeting an early morning liftoff from Florida at 5:15 a.m. EST on Friday, February 13, 2026, for the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). After weather forced a delay, the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon Freedom are back on the pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, ready for what will be Dragon’s 12th operational human spaceflight. Far from a routine crew swap, this launch comes as the station operates under unusual strain and needs fresh astronauts to restore normal operations.
Crew-12 is part of NASA’s commercial crew program, which uses private companies to fly government and partner astronauts on regular trips to orbit. These flights must thread tight windows in both schedule and weather, and recent weeks have shown how quickly plans can change. The new launch attempt will demonstrate how flexible the system has become, as agencies and contractors shuffle crews, rockets and spacecraft to keep the ISS staffed and safe.
Launch window, delays and weather risk
According to a recent NASA update, the earliest launch window for Crew-12 now opens at 5:15 a.m. EST on Friday, following a slip caused by poor conditions along the rocket’s path over the Atlantic. The time is chosen to line up with the ISS orbit so Dragon Freedom can reach the station using a safe and fuel‑efficient route. NASA notes that teams will keep watching the weather and can adjust again if winds, clouds or sea states make the corridor unsafe for launch or an emergency splashdown.
Coverage from national outlets explains that the new target came after back‑to‑back days of marginal weather, including concerns about high winds and rough seas in potential abort zones. A separate report on the delay notes that NASA and SpaceX chose to stand down rather than accept higher risk, even though the rocket and spacecraft were ready to fly. This cautious posture is standard for crewed missions, where launch rules are strict and even small changes in weather can halt the countdown.
What Crew-12 means for the ISS
The Crew-12 flight is designed as a long‑duration ISS expedition, and its four astronauts are expected to spend about 180 days in orbit. Once docked, they will help bring the station closer to its usual staffing level of seven crew members, which allows for both heavy maintenance and a full slate of science. NASA’s mission overview says the crew will support hundreds of experiments in areas such as human health, materials science and Earth observation during their stay.
Recent station operations have been constrained because of shifting crew numbers and schedule changes. Reporting on the arrival of Dragon for Crew-12 notes that the launch will help re‑stabilize station life, where everything from routine maintenance to complex research has been limited. With a full complement back on board, managers expect to clear backlogs of repair tasks, restart paused experiments and prepare for upcoming visiting vehicles.
Crew-11’s troubled exit and the three-person gap
To understand why Crew-12 is so important, it helps to look at the mission it will replace. SpaceX Crew‑11 (USCV‑11) is an ISS crew transport flight that has been affected by what NASA has called a “medical situation” involving one astronaut. That issue has complicated planning for the return of the four‑person Crew‑11 team and has forced managers to consider unusual options to get them home safely. The mission was originally expected to wrap up on a more predictable timeline, but the medical concern has added a layer of caution.
A separate NASA briefing describes preparations for a possible emergency return of four astronauts from the ISS, something the agency has not faced in about 25 years. It notes that a final departure date for Crew‑11 is still under review and that, once they leave, the station could operate with only three people for several weeks. Running with three instead of seven sharply cuts the time available for research and forces the crew to focus on essential systems and safety tasks.
Dragon Freedom, ascent corridor and launch coverage
On the hardware side, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center reports that the Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon Freedom are already vertical at Space Launch Complex 40 after receiving a formal “go” to enter the launch countdown. A status note from the center highlights that this will be Dragon’s 12th operational crewed mission and confirms that standard checks of engines, guidance systems and life support are underway. The ascent corridor, which stretches over the Atlantic Ocean, must be clear enough not only for a clean climb to orbit but also for any possible abort and splashdown.
SpaceX’s own launch page lists Crew‑12 as a Falcon 9 flight from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, with Dragon Freedom carrying four astronauts to the ISS as part of NASA’s commercial crew program. The company notes that this mission continues a series of regular crew rotations that keep the station supplied with people and cargo. Dragon’s design allows for multiple reuses, and each flight adds more data on how the spacecraft performs during launch, docking, re‑entry and splashdown.
Who is flying on Crew-12
NASA’s coverage plans for the mission also highlight the people on board. In a recent news release, the agency points out that the crew includes French astronaut Sophie Adenot, who will serve as a mission specialist. She will work alongside NASA astronauts and other international partners, reflecting the shared nature of ISS operations. The mix of backgrounds and skills on the crew is meant to support a wide range of experiments and station tasks.
While the full crew roster includes pilots, commanders and specialists, all four astronauts train to handle emergencies and basic station upkeep. They practice docking procedures, robotic arm operations and spacewalk support before launch. Once in orbit, each person follows a detailed schedule of work, often broken into five‑minute blocks, to make the most of their roughly six‑month stay.
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*This article was researched with the help of AI, with human editors creating the final content.
