NASA Crew-13 Launches to the Space Station: Record-Fast Trip, New Crew and What's Next
Four astronauts are now living and working aboard the International Space Station after NASA's SpaceX Crew-13 mission lifted off on Thursday, October 1, 2026, at 11:10 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Despite concerns about thunderstorms and gusty winds, the Falcon 9 rocket launched on schedule.
Meet the Crew-13 astronauts
The crew represents three space agencies: NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. The mission is Delaney's first spaceflight. They are expected to stay about six months and will take over from the Crew-12 team, which has been on the station since February and includes NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot and cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
A record-fast trip to the station
NASA said the journey from launch to docking, about 7 hours and 50 minutes, would be the fastest in the history of the International Space Station. The Dragon capsule docked to the space-facing port of the station's Harmony module. The Falcon 9 first stage returned and landed at SpaceX's Landing Zone 40 at Cape Canaveral, ready to be reused.
What they will do in orbit
The crew will maintain the orbiting laboratory and run science experiments, some of them on the astronauts themselves, with a focus on human health and performance in space. The research helps prepare for future missions to the Moon and Mars. Crew-13 is part of NASA's Low Earth Orbit Program, which partners with private companies for access to space.
Other space news this month
On September 28, SpaceX's Starship returned to Earth and splashed down north of Hawaii after a three-hour flight. On October 12, NASA opened applications for its next class of flight directors, the leaders of mission control in Houston. And for skywatchers, NASA's October guide points to Saturn at opposition and the Orionid meteor shower.
Quick FAQ
When did Crew-13 launch? October 1, 2026, at 11:10 a.m. EDT from Florida.
How long will they stay? About six months.
Why is this launch special? It was the fastest launch-to-dock trip in ISS history, according to NASA.
Sources: NASA, Spaceflight Now, Bernama-Anadolu and Fox 35 Orlando.
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