NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 Dragon spacecraft splashed down off the coast of Los Angeles on October 8, returning four crew members from the International Space Station.
Science and space | October 11, 2026
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 Dragon spacecraft splashed down off the coast of Los Angeles at 11:34 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on October 8, bringing four astronauts back from the International Space Station, NASA reported.
Who returned?
The crew members named by NASA were NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
What happens after splashdown?
After splashdown, recovery teams secure the spacecraft and help the crew exit following post-flight procedures. The return is part of the operational cycle that supports long-duration human research and station crew rotations.
Why these missions matter
Space-station missions support research in microgravity, technology testing and international cooperation. The results can contribute to future exploration, though individual experiments must be assessed on their own evidence and findings.
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