NASA safely returned the SpaceX Crew-11 astronauts to Earth. The Dragon capsule splashed down off California on January 15, 2026. Consequently, the mission ended after 167 days in orbit.
NASA announced the update on January 16. The remaining Expedition 74 crew will continue operations aboard the International Space Station. Specifically, U.S. astronaut Chris Williams stays in command. Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev join him.
These three astronauts arrived last November. They began an eight-month research mission. Moreover, they now handle key experiments and maintenance tasks alone.
Williams recently worked in the Quest airlock. He deactivated two spacesuits after a postponed spacewalk. Therefore, he cleaned and flushed their internal cooling systems carefully.
Mikaev installed Earth-observation equipment successfully. Kud-Sverchkov maintained the station’s oxygen generator efficiently. As a result, critical systems remain fully operational.
The trio will stay aboard until summer 2026. They await four new crewmates. NASA plans their arrival in February.
Crew-12 prepares for launch next. Jessica Meir will command the mission. Jack Hathaway serves as pilot. Additionally, Sophie Adenot from ESA and Andrey Fedyaev from Roscosmos join as mission specialists.
The Crew-12 launch targets Sunday, February 15, 2026. Once they dock, the new team will reunite with Expedition 74. Thus, the station regains full staffing quickly.
This smooth handover ensures continuous science and operations. The ISS remains a vital platform for research. Furthermore, it supports future deep-space exploration goals.
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