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NASA and SpaceX have cleared four astronauts for Thursday’s launch to the International Space Station (ISS), with weather remaining the main factor that could affect the mission.
The Crew-13 mission is scheduled to lift off at 11:10 a.m. EDT (3:10 p.m. GMT) on October 1 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Docking with the ISS is planned for about 7 p.m. EDT, roughly seven hours and 50 minutes after launch.
NASA and SpaceX completed their final review on September 30 and declared the mission ready for launch. NASA said the hardware and systems were in good shape, while weather remained the key uncertainty.
The latest forecast from the U.S. Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron gives the mission a 55% chance of favorable weather for liftoff. Scattered showers and mid-level clouds over Florida could pose problems under launch-weather rules.
Crew-13 will carry NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins, the commander, and Luke Delaney, the pilot, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. The four will spend about six months aboard the ISS as part of Expedition 75.
Watkins is set to make her second spaceflight, while Delaney, Kutryk and Teteryatnikov will be making their first. Watkins previously flew aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and will become the first NASA astronaut to fly aboard a Crew Dragon twice.
During their mission, the astronauts will conduct scientific research and station maintenance. Experiments include studies involving heart disease and Parkinson’s disease using human stem-cell-derived tissues, crop production in space, blood-flow abnormalities and new medical diagnostic equipment.
The launch was previously targeted for September 12 but was delayed after a leak was detected in the Dragon spacecraft’s propulsion system during pre-mission checks. The spacecraft, named Grace, has since been cleared for flight.
If Thursday’s launch cannot proceed, NASA and SpaceX have a backup opportunity on October 2 at 10:47 a.m. EDT (2:47 p.m. GMT).
