Why is an astronaut taking a stuffed rabbit to the International Space Station?

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir is bringing her three-year-old daughter's stuffed rabbit to the ISS to maintain a connection with her child during her eight-month mission.

When is the International Space Station scheduled to be decommissioned?

The International Space Station is scheduled to be pushed out of Earth's orbit and crash into the Pacific Ocean in 2030.

Who are the members of the Crew-12 mission to the ISS?

The Crew-12 mission includes NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.

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Astronaut Mom Takes Daughter's Rabbit to ISS

9 Feb

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Summary

An astronaut is taking her daughter's stuffed rabbit to the International Space Station.
The ISS is scheduled for deorbit in 2030, ending its 25-year continuous habitation.
Crew-12's mission will be one of the last to live aboard the aging space station.

Astronaut Mom Takes Daughter's Rabbit to ISS

A small, stuffed rabbit will embark on an adventure to the International Space Station with the four-member Crew-12 mission, scheduled to launch from Florida next week. NASA astronaut Jessica Meir is bringing the beloved toy belonging to her three-year-old daughter.

Meir expressed that while leaving her young child for an eight-month mission is challenging, she hopes her daughter will understand the significance of the absence. The astronaut aims to share photos of the rabbit on the ISS, fostering a connection and inspiring her child.

Crew-12, which includes NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral. This mission replaces Crew-11, which returned early due to the station's first medical evacuation.