Four astronauts prepare for a long-duration science mission to the ISS

Space · Published 23 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The journey to the International Space Station is more than just a flight; it is a complex logistical feat of international cooperation. As Crew-13 prepares to launch, they carry the weight of global scientific inquiry into low Earth orbit.

Preparations are underway by SpaceX and NASA for Crew-13, which will leave Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station from Space Launch Complex 40. The launch is set for October 1, 2026, at 11:10 a.m. EDT (1510 UTC). This specific window is part of a rigorous timeline designed to ensure the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft can successfully reach and dock with the International Space Station by approximately 7 p.m. EDT (2300 UTC) on the same day.

The crew represents a diverse international partnership, consisting of Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney from NASA, Joshua Kutryk from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and Sergey Teteryatnikov from Roscosmos. This collaborative effort highlights the ongoing nature of low Earth orbit programs, which involve multiple space agencies working in tandem to maintain a permanent human presence in space.

The primary objective of Crew-13 is a long-duration science mission. While specific experiments are part of the broader NASA Science mandate—which includes searching for life elsewhere and protecting life on Earth—this particular crew will focus on sustained research while orbiting at altitudes similar to those where images of Earth's city lights are captured from 259 miles above.

The prelaunch news conference featured key leadership from across the aerospace spectrum, including NASA’s Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate, the Low Earth Orbit Program, and SpaceX’s Build and Flight Reliability team. This coordination ensures that every technical aspect, from life sciences to spacecraft reliability, is scrutinized before the crew departs for their orbital stay.

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