How astronauts prepare for the journey to the International Space Station

Space · Published 11 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before reaching orbit, space crews undergo rigorous training and strict quarantine protocols. From traditional ceremonies in Russia to intensive readiness checks in Florida, every step is designed to ensure the safety and success of missions like the upcoming Crew-13 and the Expedition 40/41 Soyuz flights.

Spaceflight preparation involves multiple stages of training and health precautions. Before heading to Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome for their concluding drills, Max Suraev, Reid Wiseman, and Alexander Gerst attended customary rites at Russia's Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Star City for the Expedition 40/41 Soyuz flight. This preparation is essential for the crew's scheduled May 29 launch to the International Space Station. The mission includes backup crew members Anton Shkaplerov, Terry Virts, and Samantha Cristoforetti. These individuals also travel to the cosmodrome to support the primary crew.

In contrast, the Crew-13 mission follows a different logistical path. To minimise sickness risks, the crew—comprising pilot Luke Delaney and commander Jessica Watkins—is undergoing quarantine at Houston's NASA Johnson Space Center. 26. This follows intensive launch-readiness checks to ensure the Falcon 9 rocket, SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, and the station are all prepared for flight. Mission specialists Joshua Kutryk and Sergey Teteryatnikov will also be part of the crew. This group will eventually become members of Expedition 75.

The technical execution of these missions is highly precise. For the Crew-13 mission, NASA and SpaceX are targeting an 11:10 a.m. EDT launch on Oct. 1 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Space Launch Complex 40. If successful, the Dragon spacecraft is expected to dock at the Harmony module's forward-facing port about 8 p.m. that same day, reaching the station in less than nine hours after liftoff. Upon arrival, these four astronauts will join Expedition 75 to conduct scientific research and maintain the orbiting laboratory.

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