SpaceX and NASA are targeting October 1, 2026, for the Crew-13 launch to the International Space Station. Meet the four-member crew and check the launch time and mission details.
SpaceX and NASA are moving ahead with the launch of the Crew-13 astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, October 1, 2026. The mission is scheduled to lift off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The targeted liftoff time is 11:10 a.m. EDT (3:10 p.m. UTC). NASA’s latest weather assessment gives the launch a 55% chance of favorable weather conditions, meaning weather remains one of the factors being monitored before liftoff.
Four Astronauts to Fly on Crew-13
Crew-13 will carry four international crew members to the ISS. The mission commander is NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, while Luke Delaney will serve as pilot.
The other two members are Joshua Kutryk, an astronaut with the Canadian Space Agency, and Sergey Teteryatnikov, a cosmonaut from Roscosmos. After reaching the space station, the four will join the Expedition 75 crew.
For Watkins, Crew-13 will be her second spaceflight. Delaney, Kutryk and Teteryatnikov are preparing for their first spaceflight, according to mission information.
Dragon Spacecraft Named Grace
The astronauts will travel aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, named Grace. The spacecraft will be launched into orbit by a Falcon 9 rocket.
SpaceX says the Dragon spacecraft being used for Crew-13 previously flew the Ax-4 mission to and from the space station. The Falcon 9 first stage supporting the mission is also flying for the third time, having previously launched Crew-12 and a Starlink mission.
After separation from the rocket, Dragon will conduct a series of orbital maneuvers before approaching the ISS for docking.
Crew-13 Could Reach ISS in Under Eight Hours
NASA has planned a relatively fast journey for Crew-13. The agency says the scheduled trip from launch to docking is approximately 7 hours and 50 minutes, which would make it the fastest trip to the ISS by a U.S. spacecraft if completed as planned. Docking is targeted for approximately 7 p.m. EDT at the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module.
After docking, the crew is scheduled to open the hatch and enter the space station later in the evening.
How to Watch Crew-13 Launch
NASA’s live launch coverage is scheduled to begin at approximately 9:20 a.m. EDT, ahead of the 11:10 a.m. liftoff. NASA will provide coverage of the countdown, launch and later rendezvous and docking operations.
SpaceX has also scheduled its own live webcast, beginning about one hour before liftoff.
The mission’s primary launch opportunity is October 1, with SpaceX listing October 2 at 10:47 a.m. EDT as a backup opportunity if the first attempt cannot proceed.
Crew-13 is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and will support scientific research and other activities aboard the International Space Station during the crew’s long-duration mission.
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