Crew-12’s departure slips to October 7 as recovery weather is reviewed
NASA and SpaceX have moved Crew-12’s earliest departure from the International Space Station to October 7 after reviewing California recovery conditions. Qatar News Agency and Report.az also report the delay. Splashdown is provisionally targeted for the following day, while another weather review and the readiness of the spacecraft and recovery team will determine whether the revised timetable can proceed.
Science··Night
Weather changes the departure day
NASA, the US space agency, and spacecraft operator SpaceX revised the return timetable for Crew-12 after evaluating weather near California. Their four-person team will leave the International Space Station no earlier than October 7. Qatar News Agency and Report.az also reported the weather-driven postponement. The latter identifies the previously expected departure as October 5. The new target concerns getting the crew safely to its ocean recovery area.[1], [2], [3]
A California splashdown remains conditional
NASA’s October 3 notice targets October 7 for the earliest undocking. If that departure happens, the provisional splashdown off California follows on October 8. The precise recovery plan will depend on the chosen location. Mission managers will review weather again approximately 48 hours before departure. Spacecraft readiness, the recovery team and sea conditions also enter the decision.[1]
Four crew members prepare for the return
The returning team includes NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, Sophie Adenot from the European Space Agency, and Andrey Fedyaev from Russia’s Roscosmos space agency. They will return in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. NASA and SpaceX will choose the exact recovery place and timing nearer departure. The notice also scheduled an October 4 command handover: Meir was to pass station command to Roscosmos cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov during a combined farewell and transfer ceremony.[1]
