SpaceX Crew-12 Will Return to Earth This Week
The four-member crew is scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean following a ten-month mission.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Space
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Astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Sophie Adenot, and Andrey Fedyaev are set to depart the International Space Station on Oct. 7. The SpaceX Crew-12 mission will conclude on Oct. 8 with a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
Why it matters
The return of Crew-12 marks the end of a ten-month scientific mission on the orbital laboratory. This transition follows the successful arrival of the Crew-13 mission earlier this month.
The Crew-12 mission spanned nearly 10 months and included significant extravehicular activity. This featured astronaut Jessica Meir, who has completed seven lifetime spacewalks, and Sophie Adenot, who became the first French woman to perform a spacewalk.
The players
SpaceX
This private aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company provides launch services for NASA's crewed and cargo missions.
Jessica Meir
She is an experienced astronaut who has conducted seven lifetime spacewalks during her career.
Sophie Adenot
An astronaut who made history during this mission by becoming the first French woman to perform a spacewalk.
The details
The Crew Dragon capsule Freedom will undock from the International Space Station before performing a deorbit burn to reenter the atmosphere. The spacecraft is currently slated to land off the coast in the Pacific Ocean on the morning of Oct. 8.
Timeline
Feb. 13, 2026: The Crew-12 mission launched to the International Space Station.
Oct. 1, 2026: Crew-13 arrived at the International Space Station.
Oct. 7, 2026: The Crew-12 mission is scheduled to undock at 8:05 a.m. EDT.
Oct. 8, 2026: The crew is expected to splash down at 11:34 a.m. EDT.
Oct. 13, 2026: SpaceX plans to launch the CRS-35 robotic cargo mission.
The Big Picture
This mission concludes a long-duration stay on the International Space Station crew rotation schedule. The successful rotation of crews maintains a continuous human presence in orbit while enabling ongoing scientific research.
The completion of this mission facilitates the ongoing logistics of orbital transportation and supply replenishment. These crew rotations enable the consistent operation of scientific experiments that may eventually lead to new medical treatments or advanced material technologies.
The takeaway
The successful conclusion of long-duration missions ensures the continuous operation of critical space-based research facilities. Regular crew rotations are essential for maintaining the health of the station and the safety of the international astronauts aboard.
What happens next
SpaceX is scheduled to launch the CRS-35 robotic cargo mission to the International Space Station on Oct. 13, 2026.
Further reading
For more information on ongoing orbital research, visit the Space section.
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