NASA & SpaceX: Witness History! Crew-12 Launching NOW!

Get ready for liftoff! NASA and SpaceX are gearing up for Crew-12, the next rotational mission to the International Space Station, and the agencies are officially inviting media to witness the launch. This mission will send a fresh crew of astronauts on a vital science expedition to the orbiting laboratory.

NASA & SpaceX: Witness History! Crew-12 Launching ...

The launch is slated to take place from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in sunny Florida. The workhorse Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the trusty Dragon spacecraft, will once again be the ride to the ISS. While the precise launch date is still subject to change (it’s space travel, after all!), current schedules point to Sunday, February 15th. Before Crew-12 can head up, though, Crew-11 needs to come home, and their splashdown is targeted for no earlier than Thursday, January 15th. It's a busy schedule for everyone involved.

So, who's packing their bags for this trip to space? Crew-12 is a truly international team. Leading the pack as commander is NASA astronaut Jessica Meir, a veteran making her second journey to space. Joining her is fellow NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway, serving as pilot and embarking on his first spaceflight. Representing the European Space Agency (ESA) is Sophie Adenot, a mission specialist also making her debut in orbit. Rounding out the crew is Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, another mission specialist and seasoned space traveler on his second mission.

For those of us in the media itching to cover this event firsthand, here are the important dates to remember for accreditation. International media outlets whose staff aren't U.S. citizens need to get their applications in by 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, January 15th. U.S. media and U.S. citizens representing international organizations have a bit more time, with a deadline of 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, January 18th. Don't miss these deadlines; space is popular, and access is limited!

All accreditation requests must be submitted online through NASA's dedicated portal: https://media.ksc.nasa.gov. Be sure to review NASA's media accreditation policy beforehand. If you have any specific accreditation questions or logistical requests (satellite truck parking, tent space, electrical hookups, etc.), shoot an email to ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. Note that requests for satellite trucks and other infrastructure support are due by Friday, January 23rd. For general inquiries, the Kennedy Space Center newsroom is available at 321-867-2468.

And for our Spanish-speaking colleagues, NASA is offering Spanish-language coverage at Kennedy Space Center and can facilitate interviews in Spanish. Reach out to Antonia Jaramillo at 321-501-8425 or Messod Bendayan at 256-930-1371 for details.

For the latest launch coverage and deeper mission insights, NASA's Commercial Crew Program website is your go-to resource: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew. It's going to be an exciting launch; clear skies and smooth travels to Crew-12!