NASA has announced a new launch date for the next crewed mission to the International Space Station (ISS). SpaceX’s Crew-13 mission is now scheduled to lift off on October 1, carrying four astronauts to the orbiting laboratory.
The mission had previously been planned for September 12 but was delayed after NASA discovered an oxidizer leak in the propulsion system of the Crew-13 Dragon spacecraft. Following inspections and preparations, the agency confirmed a new launch timeline on September 22.
Crew-13 Will Launch From Florida
If weather and technical conditions remain favorable, Crew-13 will launch at 11:10 a.m. EDT on October 1 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The astronauts will travel aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket before reaching low Earth orbit. The Dragon spacecraft is expected to arrive at the International Space Station approximately nine hours after launch.
The mission will continue NASA’s partnership with SpaceX under the Commercial Crew Program, which provides regular astronaut transportation services between Earth and the ISS.
Four Astronauts Will Join the Space Station Crew
Crew-13 will deliver four astronauts who will live and work aboard the ISS for approximately seven months.
- NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney
- Canadian Space Agency astronaut Josh Kutryk
- Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov
During their time in orbit, the crew will conduct scientific research, support ongoing space experiments and help maintain the space station’s operations.
Crew-13 Will Replace the Current ISS Team
The incoming astronauts will replace the Crew-12 mission members, who have been aboard the ISS since February.
The two crews are expected to spend several days together on the station to complete a handover period, allowing Crew-13 members to receive operational updates before Crew-12 returns to Earth.
Crew-12 includes NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
SpaceX Continues Expanding Human Spaceflight Operations
The Crew-13 mission represents another step in SpaceX’s growing role in human spaceflight. Since beginning astronaut missions, the company’s Dragon spacecraft has become a key vehicle for transporting NASA crews to and from the International Space Station.
With regular crew rotation flights, NASA and SpaceX continue working to maintain continuous human presence in low Earth orbit while preparing for future exploration missions beyond the ISS.
