NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 Launches to International Space Station

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission launched successfully on Thursday, October 1, 2026, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The four-member crew, including NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, CSA astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov, embarked on a science expedition to the International Space Station.

Speaking about the launch, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman highlighted the significance of the mission, stating, "Crew-13 is another demonstration of America’s unmatched capability in human spaceflight and the strength of our commercial partnerships." He further explained how the crew will contribute to important work aboard the ISS while preparing for future missions to the Moon and beyond.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Dragon spacecraft, reached orbit and was scheduled to autonomously dock with the Harmony module of the ISS around 7 p.m. This marks the quickest launch-to-docking by a U.S. spacecraft in the history of the International Space Station. Dr. Lori Glaze, associate administrator of NASA’s Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate, emphasized the role of the space station in advancing exploration plans for the Moon and Mars.

During the 7-hour and 50-minute flight, SpaceX monitored automated spacecraft maneuvers from its mission control center in California, while NASA monitored station operations from Houston. Live coverage of the arrival began at 5:20 p.m. Once docked, the crew members undressed their spacesuits and prepared cargo for offloading at 8:45 p.m. The crew will join Expedition 75, which includes NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina.

Crew-13 will conduct various research activities, including the production of human stem cell-derived tissues for personalized medicine, crop production experiments, and human health studies. The mission is part of NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Program, which aims to provide reliable access to space, support research and development, and enable future missions beyond low Earth orbit.