Crew-13 marks historic firsts in diversity and international cooperation
Crew-13 achieves multiple historic firsts in diversity, international cooperation, and personal milestones during its mission.
Event / Technology
NASA Crew-13 ISS Mission
SpaceX successfully launched NASA's Crew-13 mission on October 1, 2026, carrying four astronauts to the International Space Station for a six-month mission including scientific research and experiments.
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2026-10-02 to 2026-10-31 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 2 Oct, 00:18 UTC
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What happened
Falcon 9 first stage successfully lands after Crew-13 launch
Following stage separation during the Crew-13 launch, the Falcon 9's first stage successfully landed on Landing Zone 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This was the third flight for the first stage booster, which previously launched the Crew-12 mission and one Starlink mission.
Teteryatnikov becomes first Russian cosmonaut to fly SpaceX Crew Dragon
Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov, a graduate of Russia's Naval Academy and former test cosmonaut from 2021-2023, is making his first spaceflight aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon. His presence continues the ongoing seat-swap arrangement between the United States and Russian Federation, where Russian cosmonauts fly aboard American spacecraft while American astronauts fly on Russian Soyuz spacecraft. This agreement is expected to continue through the life of the International Space Station.
SpaceX Crew-13 completes shortest journey yet from Florida to space station
The Crew-13 mission achieved an eight-hour transit from Cape Canaveral to the International Space Station, marking the shortest journey a SpaceX Crew Dragon has flown from Kennedy Space Center to the orbital outpost. The crew arrived well before bedtime, allowing them to rest before joining the station's Expedition 75 mission.
Jessica Watkins becomes first Black woman to command SpaceX crew to orbit
Jessica Watkins, the commander of the Crew-13 mission, became the first Black woman to lead a crew to orbit. A geologist who previously worked with NASA's Mars rover Curiosity, Watkins is making her second trip to the International Space Station, having spent 170 days in space during a 2022 mission.
Crew-13 will conduct six-month mission aboard International Space Station
The four Crew-13 astronauts will spend approximately six months aboard the International Space Station conducting scientific research. Their work will include stem cell research to combat diseases like heart disease and Parkinson's disease, studying blood flow abnormalities in microgravity, testing new health monitoring devices, and establishing crop production systems for future long-duration space missions.
Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk expected to become father while in space
Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, a colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force, will be orbiting Earth when his wife Heather gives birth to their third child in late November 2026. He will become the fourth man to become a father while orbiting Earth. NASA and the Canadian Space Agency plan to provide communication support to keep Kutryk connected to his family during the birth.
Crew-13 honors Apollo 13 legacy in mission patch and designation
The Crew-13 astronauts chose their mission number to pay homage to Apollo 13, the historic 1970 moonshot that ended safely despite being a harrowing mission. The crew incorporated this tribute into their mission patch design and rode to the launch pad in black Teslas bearing plates that read 'Lucky 13.'
SpaceX launches NASA's Crew-13 mission to International Space Station
SpaceX launched four astronauts aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on October 1, 2026. The crew consists of NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins (commander) and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. The mission was previously scheduled for September 12 but was delayed three weeks to repair fuel system leaks in the capsule.
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Crew-13 embarks on six-month station research mission
Crew-13 launches six-month ISS mission honoring Apollo 13 heritage.
SpaceX launches NASA Crew-13 mission in record-breaking Florida operation
SpaceX launches Crew-13 to ISS in record time with successful booster landing.