SpaceX Crew-12 mission latest news: Dragon capsule reaches orbit with ISS astronauts

Now in space, Crew-12 astronauts head to ISS

After a successful and smooth launch, the Crew-12 astronauts are now in transit and will soon change out of their SpaceX launch and entry suits to settle to their eight-month mission to the International Space Station.

Read our full launch story by Josh Dinner from Cape Canaveral:

SpaceX launches Crew-12 astronauts to short-staffed International Space Station. ‘We have left the Earth, but the Earth has not left us.’

The next major event will be their arrival and docking at the International Space Station. Docking is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 14, at about 3:15 p.m. EST (2015 GMT). NASA’s live coverage for that will begin at 1:15 p.m. EST (1815 GMT), and you will be able to see it live on this page.

It will be a Valentine’s Day arrival for the new ISS crew.

With that, we’ll be pausing our updates until the next major event and docking. Thanks so much for joining us on the Crew-12 launch!

Tariq Malik

Crew-12 astronauts unveil adorable crocheted zero-g indicator

The Crew-12 astronauts have unveiled their zero-gravity indicator and it is truly a one-of-a-kind bobble.

Crew-12 commander Jessica Meir announced that crew chose a handmade crocheted model of Earth with four connected satellites, each representing one of the crew. The Gaia Earth model has a small moon connected to it representing Meir and bananas represetning mission specialist Sophie Adenot, for example. It was made by Meir’s childhood best friend, as well as Crew-12 pilot Jack Hathaway’s daughter.

Tariq Malik

Crew-12 Dragon nose cone opened for flight

The Crew-12 astronauts are now flying free on their way to the International Space Station, a journey that will take about 34 hours.

As they did just before launch, the four astronauts shared a message of inspiration and hope after reaching orbit.

“We’re reminded that we’re all connected,” one of the four astronauts said. “Take care of one another and keep reaching higher. That’s how human beings soar and how we make each other proud.”

The nose cone covering the Dragon capsule’s docking port has opened for flight.

Tariq Malik

Touchdown! Crew-12 Falcon 9 rocket lands, Dragon in orbit

A few things just happened in quick succession.

First, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 1st stage landed at Landing Pad 40 in a smooth touchdown at the company’s newest landing pad.

The upper stage then reached its target point and deployed the Dragon capsule carrying the four Crew-12 astronauts to their planned orbit. The Dragon capsule then floated free to begin a 2-day trip to the International Space Station.

“It turns out Friday the 13th is a very lucky day,” flight controllers radioed the Dragon crew as they wished them well.

“Thank you team, that was quite a ride, we have left the Earth, but the earth has not left us,” Crew-12 commander Jessica Meir said.

Tariq Malik

Stage separation for Crew-12 Falcon 9 rocket

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket has successfully separated its first stage from the upper stage for today’s Crew-12 launch. The first stage is returning to Earth for a planned landing at a new landing pad at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida about 8 minutes after liftoff.

So far, the flight is going smoothly.

“Dragon, SpaceX, nominal trajectory,” flight controllers told the astronauts.

“Dragon copies,” commander Jessica Meir said.

Tariq Malik

LIFTOFF! SpaceX launches Crew-12 astronauts

With a blinding light, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket lifted off on time from Space Launch Complex 40 to carry the four Crew-12 astronauts toward the International Space Station.

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Crew-12 astronauts share inspiring message, strongback retracted

With just minutes remaining to liftoff, the four astronauts inside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Freedom shared a brief, but inspiring message of unity and exploration from inside the capsule.

“In a few moments, we will leave the ground,but not the people who helped get us here,” Crew-12 commander Jessica Meir said. “This mission is a result of years of dedication, preparation, and trust to the teams, and also, every decision has led to this moment.”

Her crewmates each spoke as well on the value of international cooperation to continue work on the ISS.

Stage one fueling is complete with RP-1 and liquid oxygen. Stage 2 has completed topping off its liquid oxygen.

The strongback support has retracted for launch. We are minutes from liftoff.

Tariq Malik

Crew-12 Falcon 9 rocket first stage fueled for launch

SpaceX reports that the first stage of the Crew-12 Falcon 9 rocket has been fueled with its RP-1 rocket-grade kerosene fuel for today’s launch.

Fueling is continuing in what SpaceX calls a “late load” approach to fuel the rocket in the final minutes before a planned liftoff. Stage 2 liquid oxygen loading is now underway

The Dragon Freedom capsule is one of five crewed Dragon capsules SpaceX uses for trips to and from the International Space Station.

“We’re tracking no holds against launch today,” flight controllers radioed to Dragon astronauts.

“Dragon copies, great news,” Crew-12 commander Jessica Meir said.

Tariq Malik

Crew-12’s Falcon 9 rocket is ‘go’ for fueling

Mission teams have confirmed that Crew-12’s Falcon 9 rocket is ready for fueling, and will soon begin loading liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene into the vehicle’s two stages.

Hatch closed on Crew-12 mission’s Dragon capsule

The hatch has been closed on the Crew-12 astronauts’ SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, named “Freedom.” That’s another big milestone on the road to launch, which is now a little over an hour away at 5:15 a.m. EST (1015 GMT).

Crew-12 launch webcast has begun

NASA’s webcast for the launch of SpaceX’s four-person Crew-12 mission has begun. The livestream started at 3:15 a.m. EST (0815 GMT), two hours before a Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch Crew-12 toward the International Space Station from Florida’s Space Coast. You can watch the action here at Space.com or via NASA.

Crew-12 astronauts arrive at the launch pad

The four astronauts of SpaceX‘s Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station have arrived at the launch pad. NASA announced the quartet’s arrival at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 in an update today (Feb. 13) at 2:17 a.m. EST (0717 GMT). Everything is still on track for Crew-12 to lift off today at 5:15 a.m. EST (1015 GMT).

How to watch SpaceX’s Crew-12 launch early Friday

If you’re hoping to watch SpaceX’s Crew-12 astronaut launch to the International Space Station, you’re in luck. You’ll have a wide variety of ways to tune in, including by watching the launch live in the video feed at the top of this page.

Our Spaceflight Editor Mike Wall has the full guide here:

Watch SpaceX launch Crew-12 astronaut mission to the International Space Station early on Feb. 13

NASA’s Crew-12 launch webcast will begin at 3:15 a.m. EST (0815 GMT) on Friday, Feb. 13, with the launch itself scheduled for 5:15 a.m. EST (1015 GMT).

While you can watch it on Space.com and via our YouTube channel, you can also watch it directly from NASA, which will stream the launch live on NASA+, YouTube and Amazon Prime, as well as its social media channels.

The launch should cover SpaceX’s actual Falcon 9 rocket liftoff, its’ first stage booster landing and the Dragon capsule separation from its Falcon 9 upper stage.

NASA will provide a different webcast on Saturday, Feb. 14, for docking at the International Space Station as needed.

This will be our last update of today, Thursday. We’ll see you early Friday for the launch!

Tariq Malik

Weather looks favorable for Crew-12 launch

The weather is looking good for Friday’s planned Crew-12 astronaut launch to the International Space Station.

NASA and SpaceX report a pristine 90% chance of good conditions for the weather at Crew-12’s planned launch time of 5:15 a.m. EST (1015 GMT) on Feb. 13.

“After detailed weather briefings Thursday morning, forecasters and mission managers opted to continue into the Crew-12 launch countdown,” NASA wrote in an update today. “They will again review the forecast around 10 p.m. Thursday, a few hours before the crew suits up.”

SpaceX will continue to monitor weather for both the launch itself and the conditions downrange for the fligth and Falcon 9 booster’s return to its landing site. The company is keeping a particularly close eye on the potential for unacceptably high wind speeds.

Meanwhile, the Falcon 9 rocket that will carry teh Crew-12 astronauts is in place atop its Cape Canaveral Space Force launch pad.

Here’s a report from Space.com’s Josh Dinner on the mission status so far.

Tariq Malik

SpaceX, NASA are ‘go’ for Crew-12 launch Friday

Hey, Space Fans! Welcome to our coverage of NASA’s Crew-12 astronaut launch to the International Space Station.

As I write this, we are less than 24 hours away from what will be two-day trip for NASA and SpaceX’s Crew-12 mission to the ISS. Yesterday, mission managers for SpaceX and NASA completed a Launch Readiness Review, at the end of which they cleared the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft for launch.

Liftoff of Crew-12 is scheduled for 5:15 a.m. EST (1015 GMT), weather permitting. It will launch from SpaceX’s pad at Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, as the company no longer plans to use NASA’s own Pad 39A for Dragon crew launches.

The Crew-12 astronaut team is commanded by astronaut Jessica Meir, with Jack Hathaway serving as pilot. Both are NASA astronauts. Rounding out the crew are European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot of France and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedaev. They will fly an 8-month mission to the ISS.

Crew-12 is a replacement crew for Crew-11, a team of four astronauts who returned to Earth earier than planned last month in what was the first-ever medical evacuation of the space station. Meir and her Crew-12 crewmates were originally scheduled to launch sometime in March, but NASA and SpaceX moved the flight up after the early return of Crew-11.

Space.com’s Josh Dinner is on the scene for the relief crew’s launch and will br providing updates over the next day that I’ll share directly with you here.

You’ll also be able to watch the launch live on this page early Friday, courtesy of NASA TV, with our livestream beginning at 3:15 a.m. EST (0815 GMT).

Tariq Malik