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SpaceX launched four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, ending a more than two-week delay in NASA’s latest crewed mission.
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Crew-13 astronauts lifted off at 11:10 a.m. EDT (1510 GMT) from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The astronauts are travelling aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, named Grace, which is making its second spaceflight. The spacecraft is scheduled to reach the ISS in about 7 hours and 50 minutes, the fastest Crew Dragon trip to the station so far.
Crew-13 is commanded by NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, who is making her second spaceflight. She is joined by NASA pilot Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov, all of whom are making their first spaceflight.
The Falcon 9’s first-stage booster successfully landed at a designated landing zone near the launch site about seven minutes and 40 seconds after liftoff. It was the booster’s third launch and recovery.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman congratulated the crew and teams involved in the launch, calling it a strong start to the mission.
The astronauts are expected to spend about six months aboard the ISS, conducting scientific research and station maintenance. Their work will include studies of astronaut health and the effects of microgravity, as well as research involving stem-cell-derived tissues for potential treatments for Parkinson’s disease and heart disease.
The crew will also participate in experiments on growing and harvesting produce in microgravity.
Crew-13’s arrival will begin the handover from Crew-12, whose four astronauts have been aboard the station for about 7.5 months. Their return to Earth was delayed after Crew-13’s launch was postponed.
The delay followed the discovery of an oxidizer leak in Grace’s propulsion system in August, prompting NASA and SpaceX to conduct additional inspections and tests before the launch.
Crew-13 is expected to remain aboard the ISS until February or March 2027, when the Crew-14 astronauts are scheduled to arrive.
