Cape Canaveral, Florida — A SpaceX capsule is set to launch four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday, restoring the crew complement aboard the orbiting laboratory after it has operated with reduced staffing for a month.

The mission, known as Crew-12, is scheduled to blast off at 5:15 a.m. ET from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. NASA has contracted SpaceX for transportation services but has had to delay the launch twice this week due to adverse weather conditions along the rocket’s flight path, complicating the agency’s efforts to enhance crew levels on the ISS.

Since mid-January, the ISS has been operating with only three astronauts, significantly below the ideal crew size of seven. This reduced staffing came after the prior Crew-11 mission was cut short due to a medical issue affecting one of its members, leading to their expedited return to Earth.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised the agency’s preparedness during the Crew-11 emergency, crediting the quick response from both NASA and its commercial partners to facilitate a safe return. The astronaut involved has since been confirmed in stable condition.

With the previous Crew-11 astronauts now back on Earth, Crew-12 will feature NASA’s Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. Typically, NASA prefers a direct handover of responsibilities when astronaut crews transition on the ISS, allowing incoming members to receive guidance from their predecessors. However, the emergency departure of Crew-11 means that Crew-12 will miss out on this valuable overlap period.

Despite the lack of a direct handover, Meir indicated that her team managed to communicate important details with the Crew-11 members through ground channels prior to their launch. This exchange is crucial as it allows the incoming astronauts to be briefed on current conditions aboard the station.

The operational challenges posed by having only three personnel aboard are significant. A robust astronaut presence is vital for maximizing scientific research and operational efficiency aboard the ISS, which carries an annual cost of about $3 billion to maintain. A diminished cadre has the potential to hinder essential research initiatives.

Before SpaceX began providing regular transportation to the ISS, missions commonly functioned with smaller crews. Meir pointed out that during her last flight, indirect handovers were more typical, indicating a shift in NASA’s crew management approach in collaboration with commercial partners.

As the space agency gears up for future explorations, rising demand for research aboard the ISS remains paramount. Isaacman highlighted the significance of ongoing scientific projects in paving the way for future commercial space stations, which are envisioned to succeed the aging ISS.

During their upcoming eight-month mission, the Crew-12 astronauts will engage in various research activities, including ultrasound scans to study blood vessel changes and pharmaceutical experiments related to pneumonia-causing bacteria. They’ll also participate in a simulated lunar landing to evaluate how humans adapt to sudden gravitational changes, critical for future missions beyond Earth.