Pretty sure it's part of the budget where they were aiming to reduce the number of overall crew missions. If each mission (Crew-12 through 14 & Starliner-2 through 4) each are ~8 months it would cover through end of station.
Quote from: AndrewM on 02/02/2026 11:05 pmPretty sure it's part of the budget where they were aiming to reduce the number of overall crew missions. If each mission (Crew-12 through 14 & Starliner-2 through 4) each are ~8 months it would cover through end of station.I could see that. I knew they were thinking about that with Dragon, but I didn't know they were thinking about a corresponding lengthening of Starliner flights.
https://x.com/SpaceflightNow/status/2017277641666003168QuoteSpaceflight Now@SpaceflightNow· During a SpaceX Crew-12 briefing, NASA's Steve Stich lays out a few scenarios for planning the launch of this ISS mission vs Artemis 2.• If Artemis 2 launches on Feb. 8, Crew-12 would push to NET Feb. 19• If A2 attempts launch Feb. 8, but scrubs, C12 could launch NET Feb. 13• If A2 foregoes launch in Feb. due to wet dress rehearsal data or other issues, C12 could launch as early as Feb. 11 or 12
Spaceflight Now@SpaceflightNow· During a SpaceX Crew-12 briefing, NASA's Steve Stich lays out a few scenarios for planning the launch of this ISS mission vs Artemis 2.• If Artemis 2 launches on Feb. 8, Crew-12 would push to NET Feb. 19• If A2 attempts launch Feb. 8, but scrubs, C12 could launch NET Feb. 13• If A2 foregoes launch in Feb. due to wet dress rehearsal data or other issues, C12 could launch as early as Feb. 11 or 12
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman@NASAAdminWith the conclusion of the wet dress rehearsal today, we are moving off the February launch window and targeting March for the earliest possible launch of Artemis II.
Well this is a mess. Artemis II is now delayed allowing a Crew-12 11 February launch opportunity, but F9 lunches are on hold pending the results of the F9 stage 2 failure investigation.What is the timeline of that investigation? What was the interval between failure and clearance to launch the last time an F9 stage 2 failure occurred?
The thing that B1101 and its 2nd stage still rolled out to SLC-40 as planned last night (while Artemis II WDR was in its final minutes), plus now that Starlink 6-103 & 104 are specifically delayed to the 14th and 16th, seems to point to confidence being there for Crew-12 to launch as planned (there will likely be at least one launch from Vandenberg before it should any fixes needed to be validated).
Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 02/03/2026 04:24 pmThe thing that B1101 and its 2nd stage still rolled out to SLC-40 as planned last night (while Artemis II WDR was in its final minutes), plus now that Starlink 6-103 & 104 are specifically delayed to the 14th and 16th, seems to point to confidence being there for Crew-12 to launch as planned (there will likely be at least one launch from Vandenberg before it should any fixes needed to be validated).Judging from previous short stops, SpaceX routinely plans ahead as if they will get the go ahead long before they actually have the go ahead.I could totally see them sending out a drone ship as if a launch is scheduled, everyone here will say 'look they dispatched the drone ship that proves whatever....' and it actually just proves how aggressive they are, not that they actually have the green light.Not that I think it will not happen, but at least for us trying to predict based on what SpaceX scheduled, it means nothing IMO.Edit: the fact that Starlink 6-103 & 104 are scheduled so far ahead, does tell us that they do not expect resolution in just a few days as has happened in the past.
Regarding the Falcon 9 anomaly on the Starlink 17-32 mission, Kshatriya says they are pressing towards the Crew-12 window as they monitor the status of the investigation between SpaceX and the FAA.
Dragon arrives at the hangar at pad 40 ahead of the upcoming Crew-12 launch to the @Space_Station
Primary Launch Day 11 FEB 1051Z-1141ZBackup Launch Day 12 FEB 1028Z-1118ZBackup Launch Day 13 FEB 1006Z-1056ZBackup Launch Day 14 FEB 0943Z-1033ZBackup Launch Day 15 FEB 0917Z-1007ZBackup Launch Day 16 FEB 0855Z-0945ZBackup Launch Day 17 FEB 0832Z-0922Z
PLANNED LAUNCH/REENTRY:SPACEX STARLINK 17-33, VANDENBERG SFB, CAPRIMARY: 02/06/26 1705Z-2148ZBACKUP: 02/07/26 1705Z-2148ZSPACEX STARLINK 6-104, CAPE CANAVERAL SFS, FLPRIMARY: 02/08/26 1046Z-1529ZBACKUP: 02/09/26 1120Z-1603ZSPACEX STARLINK 17-34, VANDENBERG SFB, CAPRIMARY: 02/10/26 1407Z-1850ZBACKUP: 02/11/26 1407Z-1850ZNASA CREW 12, CAPE CANAVERAL SFS, FLPRIMARY: 02/11/26 1051Z-1141ZBACKUP: 02/12/26 1028Z-1118ZNEXT PLANNING WEBINAR: 1215Z040037-04105926/02/04 00:37 DCCOPS.lxstn35
Ben Cooper@LaunchPhoto·3hCrew Dragon Freedom arriving at pad 40 today ahead of Crew-12 launch to the ISS
Quote from: John_Marshall on 01/30/2026 10:39 pmI haven't had a chance to listen to the news conferences; did they say anything about why the mission is so much longer or how that will work with Dragon?Pretty sure it's part of the budget where they were aiming to reduce the number of overall crew missions. If each mission (Crew-12 through 14 & Starliner-2 through 4) each are ~8 months it would cover through end of station.
I haven't had a chance to listen to the news conferences; did they say anything about why the mission is so much longer or how that will work with Dragon?
The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch Crew-12 to the International Space Station from pad 40 on February 11 at 6:01 a.m. EST. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on February 14 at 12:00-3:17 a.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on February 16. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches.
Updated February 4, my bold, https://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Guide.htmlQuoteThe next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch Crew-12 to the International Space Station from pad 40 on February 11 at 6:01 a.m. EST. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on February 14 at 12:00-3:17 a.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on February 16. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches.
Quote from: AndrewM on 02/02/2026 11:05 pmQuote from: John_Marshall on 01/30/2026 10:39 pmI haven't had a chance to listen to the news conferences; did they say anything about why the mission is so much longer or how that will work with Dragon?Pretty sure it's part of the budget where they were aiming to reduce the number of overall crew missions. If each mission (Crew-12 through 14 & Starliner-2 through 4) each are ~8 months it would cover through end of station.They may need one more mission. Six missions of eight months is 48 months so the the last crew would leave the station in February 2030 assuming no shortened missions. I thought they intended to stay until mid-2030? Also, NASA needs a plan for recovery from another event that shortens a mission. There is also the possibility that Starliner cannot be crew-certified before the end of Crew-14.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission is preparing to launch for a long-duration science mission aboard the International Space Station. During the mission, select crew members will participate in human health studies focused on understanding how astronauts’ bodies adapt to the low-gravity environment of space, including a new study examining subtle changes in blood flow.The experiments, led by NASA’s Human Research Program, include astronauts performing ultrasounds of their blood vessels to study altered circulation and completing simulated lunar landings to assess disorientation during gravitational transitions, among other tasks. The results will help NASA plan for extended stays in space and future exploration missions.The new study, called Venous Flow, will examine whether time aboard the space station increases the chance of crew members developing blood clots. In weightlessness, blood and other bodily fluids can move toward the head, potentially altering circulation. Any resulting blood clots could pose serious health risks, including strokes.“Our goal is to use this information to better understand how fluid shifts affect clotting risk, so that when astronauts go on long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars, we can build the best strategies to keep them safe,” said Dr. Jason Lytle, a physiologist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston who is leading the study. To learn more, crew members in this study will undergo preflight and postflight MRIs, ultrasound scans, blood draws, and blood pressure checks. During the flight, crew members also will capture their own jugular vein ultrasounds, take blood pressure readings, and draw blood samples for scientists to analyze after their return to Earth.In another study, called Manual Piloting, select crew members will perform multiple simulated Moon landings before, during, and after the mission. Designed to assess their piloting and decision-making skills, participants attempt to fly a virtual spacecraft toward the lunar South Pole region — the same area future Artemis crews plan to explore.“Astronauts may experience disorientation during gravitational transitions, which can make tasks like landing a spacecraft challenging,” said Dr. Scott Wood, a neuroscientist at NASA Johnson who is coordinating the investigation.While spacecraft landings on the Moon and Mars are expected to be automated, crews must be prepared to take over and pilot the vehicle if necessary. “This study will help us examine astronauts’ ability to operate a spacecraft after adapting from one gravity environment to another, and whether training near the end of their spaceflight can help prepare crews for landing,” said Wood. “We’ll monitor their ability to manually override, redirect, and control a vehicle, which will guide our strategy for training Artemis crews for future Moon missions.”The risk of astronauts experiencing disorientation from gravitational transitions increases the longer they’re in space. For this study, which debuted during the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, researchers plan to recruit seven astronauts for short-term private missions lasting up to 30 days and 14 astronauts for long-duration missions lasting at least 106 days. A control group performing the same tasks as the astronauts will provide a basis of comparison.A different study will investigate potential treatments for spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome, or SANS, which causes vision and eye changes. Researchers will examine whether taking a daily B vitamin supplement can help relieve SANS symptoms.After returning to Earth, select crew members will participate in a study that documents any injuries, such as scrapes or bruises that may occur during landing. Transitioning from weightlessness to Earth’s gravity can increase the injury risk without proper safeguards. The data will help researchers improve spacecraft design to better protect crews from landing forces.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission continues its countdown to a launch targeted for no earlier than 6:01 a.m. EST on Feb. 11, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The four Crew-12 members Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, both from NASA, Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency), and Andrey Fedyaev of Roscosmos will dock to the orbital outpost’s space-facing port on the Harmony module the following day. They will spend nine months conducting advanced microgravity research aboard the orbital outpost benefitting humans living on and off the Earth.Station Flight Engineer Chris Williams kept up his Dragon training and station configurations ahead of Crew-12’s planned arrival next week. Williams spent an hour continuing to review the procedures he will use while monitoring Dragon’s automated approach and rendezvous toward Harmony. Afterward, he began gathering and organizing standard spacecraft emergency hardware that will be transferred into Dragon shortly after it arrives.
ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot is preparing to launch to the International Space Station for her first space mission: εpsilon. After years of intensive training — from emergency procedures to spacewalk simulations — the countdown has begun. Flying alongside astronauts from NASA and Roscosmos, Sophie will join an international crew living and working together in space. Aboard the ISS, Sophie will live and work in microgravity, conducting scientific research and performing a range of European- and French-led experiments that advance knowledge for life on Earth and in space.
Richard P. Gallagher@rpg571·3hCrew 12 arrival tonight at KSC.Astronauts—Jessica Meir (Commander), Jack Hathaway (Pilot), Sophie Adenot (ESA), and Andrey Fedyaev (Roscosmos)—arrive at Kennedy Space Center. They will enter final prelaunch quarantine at KSC ahead of their ISS mission.It'll be only the second time a crew has launched from SLC-40 following Crew-9 in September 2024. Plus, for the first time the booster will perform a Return to Launch Site landing at the brand-new LZ-40 right at SLC-40!Launch is NET Feb 11, 2026 at 6:01 a.m. EST from SLC-40, with backups on Feb 12 (5:38 a.m.) & Feb 13 (5:15 a.m.).
