Key Takeaways
- NASA and SpaceX clear Crew-13 for launch.
- Falcon 9 targets liftoff on Oct. 1.
- Four astronauts will head to the ISS.
Crew-13 launch gets NASA and SpaceX clearance as four astronauts prepare to fly to the International Space Station aboard Falcon 9.
NASA And SpaceX Clear Mission For Launch
NASA, SpaceX and international partners completed the Launch Readiness Review for Crew-13 and gave the mission a “go” for launch. The Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft are scheduled to lift off no earlier than 11:10 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The review is a major milestone before launch because mission teams use it to assess the rocket, spacecraft, crew, ground systems, weather, and other conditions. With the review complete, teams will proceed with the launch countdown while continuing standard preparations.
NASA said mission leaders from the agency, SpaceX, and international partners participated in the review. The mission will continue NASA’s commercial crew operations, which use privately developed spacecraft to transport astronauts to and from the space station.
Crew-13 Carries Four Astronauts To Station
NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney will fly with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. The crew will travel aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, mounted on a Falcon 9 rocket.
The mission is part of NASA’s ongoing partnership with commercial space companies to provide crew transportation to low Earth orbit. SpaceX operates the Crew Dragon system under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
Crew-13 launch also highlights the international nature of the space station program. NASA, the Canadian Space Agency and Roscosmos are represented on the four-person crew, continuing cooperation aboard the orbiting laboratory.
NASA officials scheduled a mission leadership news conference for 6 p.m. EDT following the readiness review. Participants include Lori Glaze of NASA Headquarters, Dana Weigel of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Mathieu Caron of the Canadian Space Agency and William Gerstenmaier of SpaceX.
SpaceX Prepares Falcon 9 For Liftoff
The Falcon 9 and Dragon spacecraft are positioned at Launch Complex 40 ahead of the planned launch. SpaceX will conduct the final countdown and launch operations as teams monitor the vehicle and site conditions.
The mission demonstrates the continuing role of SpaceX in NASA’s human spaceflight operations. Falcon 9 will launch the Dragon capsule carrying the astronauts to the International Space Station.
NASA said the launch target remains no earlier than 11:10 a.m. EDT Thursday. As with other crewed missions, the schedule can change if weather, technical conditions, or other launch criteria do not meet requirements.
The readiness review allows NASA, SpaceX, and partner teams to confirm that the mission is prepared to move into the final launch sequence. A successful liftoff would begin another crew transportation mission to the space station under NASA’s commercial crew partnership.
The mission also represents continued commercial participation in human spaceflight, with government and private-sector teams sharing responsibility for launch, transportation, and crew safety.
