After evacuating four astronauts from the ISS last month, NASA is preparing for its next crewed mission to the space station.
By Claire Cameron edited by Jeanne Brner
Crew-12.
EspaceX
NASA is preparing to launch a new crew to the International Space Station (ISS). But after an unprecedented evacuation of four astronauts from the station last month—a first in the history of the ISS—the space agency is placing particular emphasis this time on security.
The next Crew-12 is made up of NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. Currently, Crew-12 is scheduled to launch within the next two weeks. The exact date has not yet been confirmed as NASA plans to launch Artemis II, its first crewed mission to the Moon in more than 50 years, in the next week and a half.
Crew-12 replaces Crew-11, which was evacuated from the space station weeks earlier than planned due to an undisclosed health issue affecting one of the team’s astronauts.
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At a news conference Friday, NASA Associate Administrator Ken Bowersox emphasized the safety of Crew-12 and Artemis II missions as essential to decide when, exactly, the first will be launched towards the station. Artemis II is ready for a wet dress rehearsal, a crucial test of its fueling systems, on Monday. How this happens will determine when it launches; NASA has suggested that the launch will take place no earlier than February 8. If this date is shifted further, it could also delay the departure of Crew-12 from Earth.
With a nod to two of the worst moments in NASA’s human space exploration, the Challenger And Colombia disasters, in which a total of 14 astronauts died, Bowersox said that all launch in January or February has always weighed on the minds of the people at NASA. “If you look back, that’s when we lost spaceflight crews,” Bowersox said. “We are always thinking about how we can safely complete our mission, and I just want to reassure you that this is always top of mind when we work on these missions. »
The agency’s work to coordinate the return of Crew-11 and the launches of Artemis II and Crew-12 in such a short period of time has been particularly tricky, he said.
On Friday, NASA officials said there were no additional medical tests for Crew 12 or other changes to the preparation protocol before living on the ISS, given the medical issue that caused the sudden return of Crew 11. In another press conference on Friday, NASA astronaut Meir confirmed that the four members of Crew 12 had not undergone any additional health tests.
Dina Contella, deputy director of NASA’s International Space Station program, said the ISS was ready to welcome Crew 12, although she acknowledged that the crew members’ arrival would be unusual. Departing crews usually have time to show their replacements some of the quirks of the ISS. But when Crew 12 arrives, the crew members will be greeted by NASA astronaut Chris Williams, who can show them the ropes.
“We don’t see any issues with the lack of direct transfer,” she said.
Meir said the four members of Crew-12 have been in contact with Crew-11 since the latter returned to the ground. “We don’t think there will be any hiccups along the way,” she said.
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