New crew arrivals and science highlight February aboard the ISS

on

Following the early departure of Crew-11 in mid-January due to a medical concern, the International Space Station began February with a crew of just three. Two cosmonauts, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, and one NASA astronaut, Chris Williams, spent the first half of February conducting experiments and technology demonstrations, with Williams studying proximity operations in preparation for the arrival of Crew-12.

Crew-12 launched on Feb. 13 and arrived at the Station a day later. Since their arrival, the four-person crew has spent the last few weeks acclimating to the orbiting laboratory and beginning science and maintenance work.

On Feb. 25, NASA released a statement by Crew-11 pilot Mike Fincke, in which he announced that he had experienced the medical event that prompted the early return of the mission. The astronaut explained that the event was not an emergency and that advanced medical imaging equipment on Earth was needed to fully address the issue. The early departure of Crew-11 was the first time an International Space Station (ISS) mission returned ahead of schedule in its 25-year history.

Station Arrivals, Departures, and Reboosts

Crew-12 launched from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 5:15 AM EST on Feb. 13. The crew consisted of NASA astronauts Jessica Meir (commander) and Jack Hathaway (pilot), European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot (mission specialist), and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev (mission specialist).

Crew-12’s launch and booster landing. (Credit: Sawyer Rosenstein for NSF)

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Freedom docked to the ISS at the Harmony module’s space-facing port on Feb. 14 at 20:15 UTC. After docking, the crew began leak checks and pressurization between the spacecraft and the Station. At 22:15 UTC, the hatch was opened, and Expedition 74 increased to a seven-person crew. Crew-12 will spend roughly eight months living aboard the orbiting outpost, conducting science and technology demonstrations, and potentially participating in spacewalks.

Roscosmos’s Progress 93 cargo resupply vehicle fired its thrusters for 10 minutes and 55 seconds on Feb. 19 to reboost the ISS’s orbit. This reboost also raised the Station’s altitude, readying it for the arrival of Progress 94 (MS-33), which is expected to launch no earlier than March 22 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

On Feb. 26, the CRS-33 Cargo Dragon undocked from the Harmony forward port at 17:05 UTC. The cargo vehicle arrived on Aug. 25, 2025, and after 185 days attached to the Station, departed with research samples and cargo for return to Earth. SpaceX’s recovery vessel Shannon recovered Cargo Dragon off the coast of San Diego after a parachute-assisted splashdown on Feb. 27 at 11:44 PST. The capsule will be refurbished and reused for a future resupply mission.

Cargo Dragon C211 departs the International Space Station (Credit:NASA)

Science and Technology Demonstrations

At the beginning of February, astronaut Christopher Williams, who flew to the Station aboard the Soyuz MS-28 mission, was the only NASA astronaut on the orbiting outpost. Williams began training in early February to use the tools and techniques required to monitor an approaching Crew Dragon in anticipation of the Crew-12 mission. The astronaut also packed completed experiments and associated samples into the CRS-33 Cargo Dragon for its return later in the month.

On Feb. 2, Williams serviced science equipment in the TangoLab facility, changing power, control, and stowage compartments, which support studies of virulent bacteria and early cancer detection. Scientific studies in zero-gravity facilities like TangoLab enable a deeper understanding of how pathogens behave, potentially exposing their vulnerabilities.

Living and working in microgravity affects the human body, with astronauts experiencing symptoms such as accelerated bone-density loss. The average astronaut can lose up to 1.5% of their bone mineral density per month. To this end, NASA uses the Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration (CIPHER), a group of 14 studies on bone, joint, and cardiovascular health, to investigate human health in space. Williams took urine and blood samples on Feb. 3 and Feb. 4 in support of CIPHER, and the blood was placed in a centrifuge and imaged by Williams. Both samples were stowed in a science freezer, preserving them until they can be sent back to Earth for further study.

Meanwhile, the cosmonauts Kud-Sverchkov and Mikaev photographed various locations on Earth on Feb. 5, including areas affected by natural disasters. The images targeted locations in Kazakhstan and Portugal and will enable a better understanding of how the regions are affected by disasters such as landslides and volcanic eruptions.

The two cosmonauts also explored how artificial intelligence (AI) can boost crew efficiency on Feb. 5. The duo assessed AI-assisted tools to convert speech to text for quicker documentation and to improve data handling and communication between the Station and ground controllers.

On Feb. 6, Williams injected gas into physics experiment hardware inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox. The experiment allowed the astronaut to assess ways to control spacecraft fuel tank pressure caused by cryogenic propellant evaporating due to surrounding heat.

Another benefit of microgravity is that protein crystals show clearer structures than on Earth, which enhances pharmaceutical research for healthcare professionals. Williams installed cassettes filled with the crystals inside the Advanced Space Experiment Processor-4 in the Destiny lab module on Feb. 9.

Also on Feb. 9, the three crew members simulated quickly entering a Soyuz spacecraft, undocking, and descending into Earth’s atmosphere. Crew members frequently refresh their operational skills and complete emergency training procedures.

Chris Williams processes microbial samples inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox. (Credit:NASA)

After the arrival of Crew-12, Williams and the two cosmonauts helped the new crew adjust to their new life aboard the Station. This included showing them station hardware, systems, and procedures required for their mission. Science experiments didn’t stop, however, as the crew also investigated using ultraviolet light to disinfect microbes on spacecraft, thereby preventing microbial growth and protecting the crew and equipment.

On Feb. 18, Jack Hathaway scanned the veins in Jessica Meir’s neck, shoulder, and legs with the new Ultrasound 3 device, while chest electrodes measured her cardiac activity. Hathaway then used the existing Ultrasound 2 to measure Sophie Adenot’s veins. Long-term stays in space induce fluid shifts in astronauts’ bodies, increasing the likelihood of blood clots.

All research and experimentation onboard the Station increases the knowledge required for future long-duration missions and medical breakthroughs back on Earth. The ISS’s research complements other space-based scientific studies, such as human research on NASA’s Artemis II mission.

(Lead image: Europe below the International Space Station as seen from Crew Dragon Freedom. Credit: NASA)

The post New crew arrivals and science highlight February aboard the ISS appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.



Comments

Post a Comment