NASA astronaut Jessica Meir launched aboard SpaceX Crew-12 in February 2026 to the International Space Station, commanding a crew that included fellow NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway. The mission represents NASA's continued reliance on commercial crew vehicles to maintain continuous human presence in low Earth orbit.
Meir brings substantial spaceflight experience to the role. A veteran of two previous missions to the ISS, she has logged over 300 days in space across her career. Her assignments have included critical extravehicular activities, or spacewalks, where she performed maintenance and upgrades to station systems. As commander of Crew-12, Meir oversees mission operations and crew coordination during ascent, on-orbit operations, and return to Earth.
SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule, now the primary vehicle ferrying NASA astronauts to the station under the Commercial Crew Program, has completed multiple rotation missions since certification in 2020. Each crew mission typically lasts six months, with astronauts conducting microgravity research, performing station maintenance, and supporting Earth observation operations. The program shifted crew transportation from Russian Soyuz vehicles following geopolitical tensions, making commercial partnerships essential to NASA's space station strategy.
The ISS continues operations as an orbital laboratory conducting experiments in materials science, biology, and physics that leverage microgravity environments. Crew rotations ensure uninterrupted research continuity and prevent gaps in American spaceflight capability. NASA's partnership with SpaceX through the Commercial Crew Program demonstrates the agency's pivot toward leveraging private industry for transportation to orbit while focusing internal resources on deep space exploration goals like lunar return missions under the Artemis program.
Meir's career reflects NASA's emphasis on diversity in astronaut selection and operations. Her previous missions to the ISS established her credentials for command roles on subsequent flights. The