SpaceX launches 13th long-duration astronaut crew to ISS

• The Falcon 9 rocket carried astronauts Jessica Watkins (mission leader and first NASA astronaut to fly twice aboard Crew Dragon), Luke Delaney, Joshua Kutryk, and Sergey Teteryatnikov on an eight-hour voyage to the ISS located 250 miles above Earth
• This marks SpaceX's 13th crew mission since the company began transporting U.S. astronauts in May 2020, following the company's record-breaking IPO in July 2026
• The mission will focus on biomedical studies including research on how microgravity affects blood circulation and clotting, gathering data to inform future space missions through at least 2030

Summary

SpaceX successfully launched its 13th long-duration astronaut crew to the International Space Station (ISS) on October 1, 2026, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The mission utilized a two-stage Falcon 9 rocket carrying an autonomous Crew Dragon capsule with a four-person international crew.

Crew Composition:

The mission is led by NASA geologist-astronaut Jessica Watkins (38), making her second space voyage and becoming the first NASA astronaut to fly twice aboard Crew Dragon. The crew includes NASA astronaut Luke Delaney (47), Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk (44), and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov (37). Three of the four crew members are spaceflight rookies.

Mission Details:

The Crew Dragon capsule is expected to reach orbit approximately nine minutes after launch, with docking at the ISS—located 250 miles above Earth—planned for 7 p.m. EDT. The mission focuses on biomedical and human performance studies, including research on microgravity's effects on blood circulation and clotting.

Key Context:

This marks the 13th crewed mission NASA has flown aboard SpaceX vehicles since the partnership began in May 2020. The article notes that SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk in 2002, recently went public in a record-breaking IPO in July and recently completed the 14th test flight of its Starship spacecraft.

The crew will join seven current ISS occupants and replace the Crew-12 team completing their seven-month mission. NASA remains committed to operating the ISS through 2030.