Four Astronauts Reach the International Space Station on Crew-13 Mission

Four astronauts and a cosmonaut successfully reached the International Space Station on October 1 after launching from Florida aboard NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission.

NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 11:10 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

A Fast Journey to the Space Station

The Dragon spacecraft carrying the crew reached the International Space Station about seven hours and 55 minutes after launch.

The spacecraft docked with the station’s Harmony module at 7:05 p.m. EDT. NASA said the journey from launch to docking was the fastest by a U.S. spacecraft in the history of the International Space Station.

A New Mission for the Four Crew Members

The four crew members will spend about six months aboard the orbiting laboratory as part of Expedition 75.

For Watkins, the mission marks her second trip to the space station. Delaney, Kutryk and Teteryatnikov are making their first spaceflight.

Research in Microgravity

The crew will conduct scientific experiments during their stay in orbit. Researchers will use microgravity to study human stem cell-derived tissues, with the goal of improving disease research and pharmaceutical testing.

The astronauts will also work on experiments involving crop production and plant growth, while continuing studies of human health in space.

Studying Human Health in Space

Some of the research will examine changes in the human body during long periods in microgravity. The crew will study factors linked to blood-flow abnormalities and test a new diagnostic device designed to monitor astronaut health during spaceflight.

The results could help researchers better understand how the human body responds to extended missions away from Earth.

A New Chapter for Crew-13

After arriving at the station, the four new crew members entered the orbiting laboratory and joined astronauts and cosmonauts already aboard.

The Crew-13 mission will continue through the coming months, combining scientific research with the daily work required to maintain life and operations aboard the International Space Station.

Sources

• NASA — “NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 Launches to International Space Station” — October 1, 2026.
• NASA — “Dragon Docks Bringing SpaceX Crew-13 to Station” — October 1, 2026.
• NASA — “Crew-13 Members Enter Station, Join Expedition 75” — October 1, 2026.
• Reuters — “SpaceX launches 13th long-duration astronaut crew to International Space Station” — October 1, 2026.