spacex lanceert crew-12 naar het iss op de onheilspellende vrijdag 13

2026-02-13 buitenland

Cape Canaveral, vrijdag, 13 februari 2026.
op 13 februari 2026 lanceerde spacex de crew-12-missie naar het internationale ruimtestation iss. dit is de eerste keer dat nasa op een vrijdag 13 lanceert. de falcon 9-raket steeg op vanaf cape canaveral in florida. aan boord zaten vier astronauten, waaronder sophie adenot, de tweede vrouwelijke astronaute uit frankrijk. de crew-12 brengt het aantal mensen op het iss terug naar zeven. zij voeren belangrijke wetenschappelijke experimenten uit gedurende hun verblijf van acht maanden. de dragon freedom capsule bereikte veilig de baan rond de aarde. de terugkeer van de raket naar aarde gebeurde binnen acht minuten na de lancering. dit benadrukt de precisie en betrouwbaarheid van spacex.

launch from cape canaveral on friday the 13th

From Cape Canaveral, Florida, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 10:15 UTC on 13 February 2026 [1]. This marked NASA’s first-ever launch on Friday the 13th [2]. Four astronauts began their journey to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Dragon Freedom capsule [3]. The launch followed a one-day delay due to weather conditions [4]. Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Manager, confirmed the significance of the date [2].

crew composition and historical significance

Crew-12 comprises NASA astronauts Jessica Meir (commander) and Jack Hathaway (pilot), ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot from France, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev [5]. Adenot becomes the second female French astronaut in space [6]. Her inclusion highlights growing international cooperation in human spaceflight [7]. She named her mission ‘εpsilon’, reflecting personal significance [8]. The diverse crew underscores multinational partnership on the ISS [5].

rocket performance and orbital insertion

Approximately eight minutes after liftoff, the Falcon 9’s first stage successfully landed at Landing Zone 40 [1]. This demonstrated continued reliability in SpaceX’s reusability strategy [9]. Shortly after, the Dragon Freedom capsule separated from the second stage [10]. Mission control confirmed the crew reached a stable orbit [1]. NASA chief Jared Isaacman praised the flawless execution [2]. The spacecraft travels at roughly 27,000 km/h toward the ISS [11].

mission objectives and duration

The crew will spend nearly eight months aboard the ISS [12]. Their duties include conducting scientific experiments impossible on Earth [13]. Research spans medicine, materials science, and Earth observation [14]. Maintenance tasks will also occupy significant time [15]. The mission restores the station’s complement to seven crew members [16]. This follows a temporary reduction after a medical evacuation in January [17].

symbolism and public engagement

Floating inside Dragon Freedom is a handmade crocheted Earth model [18]. It serves as the zero-gravity indicator, confirming weightlessness onset [18]. Crafted by Commander Meir’s childhood friend and Pilot Hathaway’s daughter, it features symbolic elements—bananas for Adenot and a moon for Meir [18]. Astronauts shared reflections shortly after launch [19]. “We have left the Earth, but the Earth has not left us,” said Meir [19].

Bronnen

lancering astronauten