New Crew Restores Full Capacity at ISS

Jimmy ParkerFebruary 15, 202613

Mission Arrival Restores Full Crew

Four astronauts arrived at the International Space Station on Saturday, bringing the outpost back to full capacity after a medical evacuation forced an early return of colleagues last month. The crew will live and work on the station for about eight months, conducting experiments and maintaining the lab that keeps America and partners leading in space operations.

Who Is Onboard

The newly arrived team includes NASA Commander Jessica Meir, NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway, French astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Russian cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev. Meir and Fedyaev have flown to the ISS before. Adenot is a military helicopter pilot and Hathaway is a U.S. Navy captain. That mix of experience matters on long missions where training, calm leadership, and steady hands keep the science moving.

Launch and Docking Details

The quartet launched from Cape Canaveral on a SpaceX rocket on Friday and completed an approximately 34 hour journey to the station. The capsule docked Saturday afternoon and the hatch was opened at about 4:14 PM Central Time. Launches were delayed twice because of weather, which is a reminder that even the best plans bow to the elements sometimes.

January Medical Evacuation Was Unusual

NASA evacuated several crew members in January after one astronaut experienced a serious medical issue. It was the first medical evacuation of its kind in 65 years, and NASA chose to return the other three crew members on that flight for care and monitoring. To protect privacy the agency has not released the name or details about the health problem, which is standard and sensible.