NASA, SpaceX Move Up Crew-12 Launch After ISS Medical Emergency

SpaceX and NASA have already announced an earlier launch of the ISS due to a medical emergency. The Crew-12 is now scheduled to be launched on Feb. 11, 2026, four days earlier than the initial date because of an unprecedented ISS medical evacuation that left only three astronauts on the ISS. The initial launch was scheduled for Feb. 15. The spacecraft and rocket were prepared early according to the previous launch date.

Medical Evacuation Leaves ISS Shorthanded

According to Space.com, at the beginning of January 2026, NASA terminated the Crew-11 mission after an astronaut developed a severe medical condition, the first medical evacuation of the ISS. The four astronauts of the Crew-11, who landed on Jan. 15, abandoned the station with three crew members, Christopher Williams, and cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikayev. The operations of the station will have to be operated with a minimum number of people working there; according to NASA, there are no spacewalks that can be conducted until the arrival of Crew-12.

Crew-12 Mission and New Launch Schedule

NASA has determined that the mission will begin its first launch window from Cape Canaveral that starts at 6:00 a.m. EST on Feb. 11, 2026. SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft will operate the space mission. The mission Crew-12 will transport NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, together with ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. The three astronauts will stay on the International Space Station for a period of nine months, which exceeds the standard six-month duration because they will operate as members of ISS Expedition 74 and later shift to Expedition 75. The launch will have backup windows scheduled for Feb. 12 and 13 to accommodate any potential mission delays.