NASA and SpaceX have set October 1 as the target launch date for the Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station. The launch is scheduled for 11:10 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. In the period leading up to liftoff, mission teams will conduct final preparations and readiness assessments to verify that all components are operational, including the crew, space station systems, SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, and the Falcon 9 rocket.
The Dragon spacecraft is projected to dock at the International Space Station approximately eight hours after launch, with the connection planned for roughly 8 p.m. at the forward-facing port of the Harmony module. After separation from the Falcon 9 rocket, Dragon will navigate into orbit and adjust its trajectory to align with the station’s orbital path before executing the docking procedure, which involves precise positioning and secure attachment to the designated port.
The four-member crew comprises NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins as spacecraft commander, NASA astronaut Luke Delaney as pilot, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk as mission specialist, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov as mission specialist. Upon arrival at the station, the crew will join Expedition 75, a long-duration mission focused on conducting scientific research, maintaining the orbital laboratory, and supporting technology demonstrations and operational activities.
The crew is currently in quarantine at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston as a standard health precaution intended to minimize illness risks before launch. The team is scheduled to travel to NASA Kennedy on Saturday for the final stages of preparation ahead of the planned October 1 liftoff.
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