The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) are preparing for the return of the Crew-12 mission, targeting an October 7, 2026, undocking from the International Space Station to conclude a nearly eight-month scientific deployment.

The departure follows the successful arrival of the Crew-13 replacement team and a formal change of command aboard the orbital outpost, according to a media advisory issued by the space agency.

Departure timeline and recovery operations

NASA will begin live coverage of the departure sequence at 6:00 a.m. EDT on October 7, 2026, with hatch closure between the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and the International Space Station (ISS) targeted for 6:20 a.m. EDT. The spacecraft is scheduled to undock from the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module at 8:05 a.m. EDT.

Following a series of departure burns to move safely away from the orbital laboratory, the Dragon capsule will initiate its deorbit burn at 10:46 a.m. EDT on October 8, 2026. Splashdown is targeted for 11:34 a.m. EDT in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.

SpaceX utilizes three designated splashdown zones for Pacific returns, located near Los Angeles, Oceanside, and San Diego. Recovery vessels will be positioned in the primary zone to secure the capsule and extract the crew immediately following splashdown. NASA plans to host a post-splashdown briefing at 1:15 p.m. EDT to discuss the return operations.

The agency updated the departure timeline on October 5, 2026, shifting the undocking and splashdown times from an earlier preliminary schedule to optimize weather and recovery conditions.

Station handover and Crew-13 arrival

The Crew-12 departure marks the end of a brief handover period that began on October 1, 2026, with the arrival of the SpaceX Crew-13 mission. The docking of the Crew-13 Dragon spacecraft temporarily expanded the station’s population to 11 crew members, welcoming NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov.

On October 4, 2026, the combined crews conducted a traditional change-of-command ceremony aboard the ISS. Departing Crew-12 Commander Jessica Meir of NASA officially transferred command of the station to Roscosmos cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov. Dubrov will remain aboard the station until spring 2027.

In the days leading up to undocking, the Crew-12 astronauts completed final preparations for their return. The crew tested their Dragon pressure suits, packed personal items and scientific cargo, and conducted air and water quality checks aboard the spacecraft.

Commercial Crew Program operations

The Crew-12 mission is the 12th operational crew rotation flight conducted by SpaceX for NASA under the Commercial Crew Program. The initiative partners the space agencies with private industry to provide regular crew transportation to and from the ISS, with SpaceX serving as the primary operational provider.

The Crew-12 astronauts launched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on February 13, 2026, and docked with the station the following day. The international crew consists of NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.

During their time in orbit as part of Expedition 74 and 75, the crew contributed to hundreds of scientific experiments and technology demonstrations. Their return clears the Harmony module’s space-facing port for future visiting vehicles and leaves the Crew-13 astronauts to continue the station’s primary research objectives.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has assigned four international astronauts to the SpaceX Crew-14 mission to the International Space Station, with a targeted launch from Florida no earlier than spring 2027.

Announced in a September 24, 2026, press release, the assignment marks the 14th commercial crew rotation flight conducted by SpaceX under NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Program. The crew will launch aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft driven by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. During their time in orbit, the astronauts will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations designed to prepare for future human exploration missions to the Moon and Mars.

Crew-14 assignments and backgrounds

NASA astronaut Kayla Barron will serve as spacecraft commander for the mission. Selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017, Barron is a U.S. Navy commander and submarine warfare officer holding degrees in systems and nuclear engineering. Crew-14 will be her second spaceflight. She previously spent 177 days in space during the SpaceX Crew-3 mission in 2021, where she completed two spacewalks and served as the lead robotics operator for a third.

NASA astronaut Chris Birch will serve as the mission pilot, marking her first spaceflight. Birch holds a doctorate in biological engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and previously taught bioengineering at the University of California, Riverside, and the California Institute of Technology. Before her selection as a NASA astronaut candidate in 2021, Birch was a decorated track cyclist on the U.S. National Team. According to Outside Magazine, she won 11 national championships and two Pan American Games gold medals, and was named to the Olympic Long Team for the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Two mission specialists will join Barron and Birch, both making their first journeys to space. Makoto Suwa, selected by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in 2023, holds a doctorate in geosciences from Princeton University and previously spent nearly a decade working with the World Bank Group. Arutyun Kiviryan, selected by Roscosmos in 2021, is an engineer specializing in rocket science.

Commercial Crew Program progression

The Crew-14 mission continues the operational cadence established by NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The initiative was established to facilitate the development of U.S. commercial space transportation capabilities, aiming for safe, reliable, and cost-effective access to and from the International Space Station and low-Earth orbit.

SpaceX, a primary partner in the program, received official NASA certification for its Crew Dragon spacecraft in 2020 and has maintained regular crewed flights since that milestone. The reliance on commercial partners has allowed NASA to maintain a continuous human presence in low-Earth orbit while focusing agency resources on deep space exploration objectives.

Upon docking with the International Space Station in spring 2027, the Crew-14 astronauts will integrate into Expedition 75 and Expedition 76 for a long-duration science expedition.

The Crew-14 announcement follows the successful arrival of the preceding rotation. On October 1, 2026, the SpaceX Crew-13 mission docked at the orbital laboratory, delivering NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov to join Expedition 75.

Canada Rocket Company (CRC) broke ground on October 1, 2026, on a $30 million CAD static rocket engine test facility in London, Ontario, establishing the first domestic infrastructure capable of supporting large-scale orbital launch vehicle development.

Named the Jeremy Hansen Test Facility, the site will serve as the primary testing ground for the company’s E-1 methalox engines. The development represents a foundational step toward creating a sovereign Canadian orbital launch capability and reducing the country’s historical reliance on foreign launch providers. According to the company’s press release, the facility is expected to be fully operational by 2028.

Infrastructure and testing capabilities

The new facility is situated on 50 acres of land leased from the Greater London International Airport Authority (YXU). The site plan includes a purpose-built 12,000-square-foot office and shop building alongside the primary test stands. CRC stated that the test stands are engineered to handle a minimum thrust capacity of 1 meganewton (1MN), a critical threshold for medium-lift and heavy-lift orbital launch vehicles.

The company projects that the London facility will create 40 full-time jobs over the next 18 months, with the broader rocket program expected to generate up to 1,000 jobs across Canada over the next decade. CRC plans to hold a public consultation in October 2026 to inform the local community about the facility’s development and address questions regarding the testing operations.

In a statement accompanying the groundbreaking announcement, CRC Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder Hugh Kolias emphasized the strategic importance of the site’s technical specifications.

“This is the first large-scale static rocket engine test facility in Canada, capable of testing engines producing more than 1MN in thrust. With it, Canada joins a small group of less than 10 countries worldwide with this capability.”

The facility is named after Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who is assigned to the Artemis II lunar mission. Hansen attended the groundbreaking ceremony and highlighted the connection between domestic infrastructure and international space exploration.

“The reason a Canadian flew around the moon on Artemis II is because we, as a country, have worked for decades to innovate with the goal of progress and a better future. Missions like Artemis II depend on a strong national space sector, and sovereign launch is an important part of Canada’s future. Canada Rocket Company is helping build that capability here at home.”

The R2 launch vehicle program

The Jeremy Hansen Test Facility will directly support the development of CRC’s R2 rocket. The R2 is designed as a reusable medium-lift launch vehicle powered by the company’s proprietary E-1 methalox engine. Digital Journal reported that CRC currently operates a 7,600-square-foot engine development shop in Toronto, where initial component work has taken place.

The R2 is being engineered to carry up to 12,500 kilograms of payload to low-earth orbit (LEO). Speaking to CTV News, Kolias detailed the vehicle’s configuration and the company’s operational targets.

“We’re building what we’re calling the R2. It can take up to 12,500 kilograms to low-earth orbit. Similar in size to SpaceX Falcon9. So, there’ll be nine engines on the first stage, one engine on the second stage, so 10 engines in total. And we’re looking to launch up to once a week, once we get the full cadence.”

Currently, Canadian satellite operators and government agencies rely entirely on foreign launch providers, primarily utilizing the SpaceX Falcon 9. The R2’s payload capacity places it in direct competition with existing medium-lift vehicles, aiming to capture domestic institutional and commercial payloads.

BetaKit reported that the lack of domestic testing infrastructure has historically forced Canadian aerospace firms to rely on international partners. Kolias told the outlet that building the facility in London ensures the capability remains in the country and becomes available to other entities within the Canadian aerospace ecosystem.

Defense strategy and federal funding

CRC was founded in 2025, closely following the release of Canada’s 2026 Defence Industrial Strategy. The federal strategy explicitly identified space and domestic launch capabilities as a high-value sector for national security and economic development.

This government signaling was a primary catalyst for the company’s formation. CBC News reported that CRC received $8.3 million CAD in funding from the Department of National Defence (DND) Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program to support its development efforts. Kolias confirmed to CBC News that the federal government’s strategic prioritization was the trigger point for the venture, stating that without that signaling, the project would not have been possible.

AirPro News analysis

We view the development of domestic testing infrastructure as the critical bottleneck for Canada’s orbital ambitions. While designing a launch vehicle can be accomplished in a standard commercial industrial park, static fire testing of methalox engines producing over 1MN of thrust requires specialized, geographically isolated infrastructure with complex acoustic and environmental controls. By securing the land and breaking ground, CRC is addressing the primary physical barrier to entry for sovereign launch.

The direct financial support from the Department of National Defence indicates that the federal government views domestic space access not merely as a commercial aerospace opportunity, but as a strategic defense imperative. Relying entirely on foreign launch providers introduces supply chain and scheduling vulnerabilities for national security payloads. If CRC can successfully bring the Jeremy Hansen Test Facility online by 2028, it will fundamentally alter the Canadian aerospace landscape, providing the necessary foundation for the R2 program and potentially serving as a testing hub for allied aerospace contractors.