The Crew-12 mission astronauts have recently joined the International Space Station (ISS), replacing the Crew-11 that concluded their mission in mid-January due to a medical evacuation. This arrival of four new astronauts returns the station to a full crew complement, essential for ongoing missions. Among the new crew members are NASA's Meirová and Hathaway, ESA's Adenotová, and Roscosmos's Feďajev, who will be spending approximately eight months in orbit.

The astronauts are set to conduct a variety of scientific experiments during their stay on the ISS. These include studying pneumonia-causing bacteria and experiments that examine the interactions between plants and nitrogen-fixing microorganisms. Such research is vital as it can enhance our understanding and capabilities for growing plants in space, paving the way for future long-duration space missions.

The new crew members will collaborate with three astronauts who have been on board the ISS since January: Russian cosmonauts Sergej Kuď-Sverčkov and Sergej Mikajev, and American astronaut Chris Williams, who arrived on the station in November aboard the Russian Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft. This international collaboration on the ISS exemplifies the cooperation between space agencies and the importance of such missions for both scientific advancement and preparation for future space exploration endeavors.