NASA confirms first flight to ISS since medical evacuation

NASA has confirmed that four astronauts will launch to the International Space Station (ISS) on February 11, following an emergency medical evacuation of the previous crew. The Crew-12 astronauts are set to lift off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with a targeted launch time of no earlier than 6:01 AM Eastern. This mission comes after the Crew-11 members were brought back to Earth on January 15, a month earlier than planned, due to a medical concern involving one of the astronauts. Although the affected astronaut was stable, the ISS lacked the necessary equipment to properly diagnose the issue. The Crew-12 astronauts will join the three remaining crew members currently aboard the ISS. NASA had initially scheduled the launch for February 15 but moved it up to February 11. If the launch proceeds as planned, the Dragon capsule carrying the Crew-12 astronauts is expected to dock with the ISS at approximately 10:30 AM on February 12. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has cleared SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket to return to flight, allowing NASA and SpaceX to proceed with the Crew-12 mission. The astronauts are currently in quarantine in preparation for the launch. This mission marks the first flight to the ISS since the Crew-11 medical evacuation.