Jessica Meir, astronaut and honorary doctor at Luleå University of Technology. Photo: Simon Eliasson
13 February 2026
Jessica Meir back in space again
The Swedish-American astronaut and honorary doctor at Luleå University of Technology Jessica Meir is now back in space. She is part of NASA's and SpaceX's mission Crew 12 and has a leading role during the ongoing expedition to the International Space Station ISS.
Jessica Meir became the first Swedish woman in space in 2019. During her first spaceflight, she spent 205 days aboard the International Space Station, where she took part in research and technical maintenance in a microgravity environment. The new expedition marks her second long-duration stay in orbit. This time, the mission is planned to last approximately eight months.
Crew-12 is part of the international collaboration surrounding the ISS, where astronauts from the United States, Europe, and Russia work together on research and technology demonstrations. In addition to Jessica Meir, the crew includes NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. The mission is a long-duration scientific expedition focused on experiments in microgravity and continued technological development in preparation for future space exploration.
The launch took place on Friday, February 13, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and a Dragon spacecraft. Docking with the space station is scheduled for Saturday, February 14, at approximately 3:15 p.m. Swedish time. The timing may be adjusted depending on how the flight progresses.
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