History soared through Florida's dawn skies today as SpaceX launched four astronauts from three nations toward the International Space Station. The Crew-12 mission blasted off at 5:15 AM ET from Cape Canaveral, carrying NASA's Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, France's Sophie Adenot, and Russia's Andrey Fedyaev for an eight-month microgravity marathon. 🌌
Mission Highlights
The Falcon 9 rocket's reusable booster nailed its landing back at Cape Canaveral nine minutes after launch, while the Crew Dragon capsule continued its 34-hour journey to the ISS. "That was quite a ride!" mission commander Meir radioed to SpaceX control, echoing every space fan's inner thoughts. 🛰️
Star Crew Alert
This team brings serious credentials: Meir (veteran of the first all-female spacewalk), rookie Hathaway (ex-Navy pilot), helicopter master Adenot (ESA's newest space star), and Fedyaev (Russian spaceflight pro). Together, they'll tackle experiments from space-grown crops to pneumonia research that could save lives on Earth. 🔬
Science on the Horizon
When they dock Saturday, the crew joins three current ISS residents for 200+ experiments. Key projects include testing nitrogen-fixing microbes for future Mars colonies and studying how bacteria behave in weightlessness. With NASA committed to ISS operations through 2030, this mission keeps the orbital lab buzzing with discovery. 👩🔬
