A SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, along with France’s Sophie Adenot and Russia’s Andrei Fedyaev, moves in to dock with the International Space Station on Saturday, February 14, 2026, in video released by NASA. Credit: NASA
The International Space Station returned to full staffing on Saturday after four new astronauts arrived to replace colleagues who left early due to a medical emergency.
A SpaceX capsule carried the American, French and Russian crew members into orbit one day after launching from Cape Canaveral. The spacecraft docked with the station about 277 miles above Earth.
Their arrival restores normal operations after last month’s unexpected evacuation.
A Rare Medical Evacuation
NASA carried out its first in-orbit medical evacuation in 65 years of human spaceflight in January. One of four astronauts who travelled to the station last summer developed what officials described as a serious health issue. The crew returned to Earth earlier than planned.
The situation left only three astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory — one American and two Russians. NASA paused planned spacewalks and reduced research activities while the smaller crew managed essential operations.
Officials have not revealed the identity of the astronaut who fell ill on January 7 or provided details about the condition, citing medical privacy. The returning crew spent their first night back on Earth in hospital before travelling to Houston.
NASA confirmed it did not change medical screening procedures before launching the replacement crew.
Meet the New Crew
The incoming astronauts include NASA’s Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, France’s Sophie Adenot and Russia’s Andrei Fedyaev.
Meir, a marine biologist, and Fedyaev, a former military pilot, have previously lived and worked aboard the station. During her 2019 mission, Meir took part in the first all-female spacewalk, a historic moment in space exploration.
Adenot, a military helicopter pilot, becomes only the second French woman to travel to space. Hathaway serves as a captain in the U.S. Navy.
As their capsule linked with the station, Adenot greeted the orbiting crew with a cheerful “Bonjour!”
After pressure checks, the hatches opened and the seven astronauts embraced in zero gravity. “Let’s get rolling,” Meir said as the team prepared to resume normal operations.
Returning to Routine
The expanded crew allows the space station to restart paused research projects and maintenance work. Astronauts conduct hundreds of experiments each year, many focused on health, technology and materials science.
With a full team in place, NASA expects a return to a busy schedule of experiments and station upkeep over the coming months. The four newcomers will remain aboard the station for eight to nine months.
The International Space Station continues to serve as a symbol of global cooperation. Despite political tensions on Earth, astronauts from different countries live and work together in orbit.
For now, the station circles the planet once again at full strength, with its international crew back to work above Earth’s horizon.
