Jakarta, INTI - The Dragon spacecraft operated by SpaceX, carrying four astronauts for NASA’s Crew-12 mission, successfully performed an autonomous docking with the International Space Station on Saturday, February 14.
A report from Los Angeles by Xinhua stated that the spacecraft lifted off on Friday, February 13, at 5:15 a.m. Eastern Time (5:15 p.m. WIB) aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Dragon later docked with the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module at around 3:15 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, or 3:15 a.m. WIB on Sunday, February 15.
Scientific Research Mission
The Crew-12 team consists of four members, including NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway. The crew also includes astronaut Sophie Adenot from the European Space Agency and cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev from Roscosmos.
The mission is scheduled to last approximately eight months aboard the orbiting laboratory.
Throughout their stay, the crew will conduct a wide range of scientific studies aimed at supporting future human exploration beyond low Earth orbit while delivering practical benefits for life on Earth.
NASA explained that the astronauts will examine pneumonia-causing bacteria to help advance cardiovascular treatments. They will also test on-demand intravenous fluid production technology for long-duration space missions.
Additional research includes analyzing how physical characteristics influence blood flow in microgravity, monitoring plant health automatically, and studying interactions between plants and nitrogen-fixing microbes to improve food production in space.
The successful docking of Crew-12 further highlights the continued international collaboration that underpins operations aboard the International Space Station.
Conclusion
The successful autonomous docking of the Dragon spacecraft for NASA’s Crew-12 mission marks another milestone in modern space exploration, reinforcing the reliability of commercial spaceflight partnerships. With astronauts from multiple space agencies conducting critical scientific research aboard the International Space Station, the mission not only advances preparations for deep-space exploration but also delivers innovations that can improve healthcare, food production, and technology on Earth. This achievement reflects the growing strength of international collaboration in shaping the future of human presence in space.
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