SpaceX launches 13th long-duration astronaut crew to International Space Station

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida - A SpaceX rocket launched on Thursday, carrying a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). The two-stage Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the autonomously operated Crew Dragon capsule, was launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station along Florida's Atlantic Coast. The crew consists of two US astronauts, a Canadian astronaut, and a Russian cosmonaut.

If successful, the mission will mark the 13th long-duration space station crew flown aboard a SpaceX launch vehicle since Elon Musk's SpaceX began sending US astronauts to orbit in May 2020. The Crew Dragon capsule is expected to reach orbit nine minutes after launch and dock with the ISS around 7 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT). The crew, led by Jessica Watkins, includes two NASA astronauts, a Canadian astronaut, and a Russian cosmonaut.

Their mission will focus on various biomedical and human performance studies, including the effects of microgravity on blood circulation and clotting. The ISS, a joint effort involving the US, Russia, Canada, Japan, and 11 European countries, is currently operated by a consortium of these nations and is expected to remain in operation through 2030.