NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 Launches to the International Space Station

The four-member crew of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission launched from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 11:10 a.m. EDT Thursday. The crew is beginning a scientific expedition aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

“Crew 13 is yet another testament to America’s unparalleled capabilities in human spaceflight and the strength of our commercial partnerships,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “Jessica, Luke, Joshua, and Sergey will advance critical work on the International Space Station while helping build the experience and capabilities needed for ambitious missions to the Moon and beyond. Congratulations to the crew and the NASA and SpaceX teams who made today’s launch possible.”

Falcon 9 Carries Crew-13 Dragon Spacecraft Into Orbit

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carried the Dragon spacecraft into orbit with NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, CSA astronaut Joshua Kutlik, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergei Tetelyatnikov aboard.

Dragon is scheduled to autonomously dock at the forward port of the International Space Station’s Harmony module at approximately 7 p.m. The docking is expected to mark the fastest launch-to-docking by a U.S. spacecraft in International Space Station history.

“The steady pace of our commercial human flights demonstrates the critical role the International Space Station plays in maintaining our presence in Earth’s orbit and honing the tools to take us to the Moon and Mars,” said Dr. Lori Glaze, associate administrator for NASA’s Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate in Washington. “Each Space Station mission adds to our exploration blueprint, and the work our crews perform guides our plans while ensuring we continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in human spaceflight.”

NASA and SpaceX Monitor Crew-13 During Seven-Hour Flight

During Dragon’s approximately 7-hour, 50-minute flight, SpaceX will monitor a series of autonomous spacecraft maneuvers from its mission control center in Hawthorne, California. NASA will monitor space station operations from the agency’s Mission Control Center at Johnson Space Center in Houston.

How to Watch Crew-13’s Arrival at the ISS

NASA’s live arrival coverage begins at 5:20 p.m. and includes rendezvous, docking, and hatch-opening activities. After docking, the crew will change out of their spacesuits and prepare to offload cargo before opening the hatch to the station’s Harmony module at approximately 8:45 p.m.

NASA will stream Crew-13’s arrival across multiple platforms. For information about where to watch, please visit NASA’s official coverage channels.

Crew-13 Joins Expedition 75

Watkins, Delaney, Kutlik, and Tetelyatnikov will join the Expedition 75 crew, which includes NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina, who are already aboard the station.

After a brief handover, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission will return to Earth with agency astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrei Fezyaev.

Crew-13 Research Focuses on Human Health and Plant Growth

During its mission, Crew-13 will support research aboard the orbiting laboratory by using microgravity to generate human stem cell-derived tissue. The work could improve personalized medicine, disease modeling, and drug testing for conditions such as heart disease and Parkinson’s disease.

The crew will also investigate crop production using a new, near-autonomous plant growth system and test how plants grow outside purpose-built facilities. Additional human health research will examine factors associated with abnormal blood flow in microgravity, while new onboard diagnostic equipment will be tested to monitor astronaut health.

NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Program

Crew-13 is part of NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Program, which partners with private companies to provide reliable access to space, support research and development aboard the International Space Station, and enable future missions beyond low Earth orbit.

Learn more about NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission below.

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Media Contacts

Joshua Finch / Jimi Russell
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
[email protected] / [email protected]

Stephen Cisselov
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
321-867-2468
[email protected]

Sandra Jones / Anna Schneider
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
[email protected] / [email protected]