Crew-13 astronauts reach International Space Station in record eight-hour flight

Four astronauts arrived at the International Space Station on Thursday, October 1, 2026, after completing an eight-hour express flight that set a U.S. speed record. The rapid transit was made possible by the space station's favorable positioning at the time of the late morning liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The mission, designated Crew-13, follows a three-week delay caused by a leaking fuel system in the Dragon capsule. Commander Jessica Watkins, the first Black woman to lead a crew to orbit, is joined by NASA’s Luke Delaney, Canada’s Joshua Kutryk, and Russia’s Sergey Teteryatnikov. The team will spend six months aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Joshua Kutryk is expected to become the fourth astronaut to become a father while in orbit, with his wife Heather due to give birth in late November. The crew carried a small crocheted dragon named 'Lucky' to commemorate their mission, which pays homage to the historic Apollo 13. This launch marked the 13th crew SpaceX has sent for NASA.

What to watch: The upcoming birth of Joshua Kutryk’s child while he remains on the six-month mission.

Editor's note: The draft accurately summarizes the mission details, including the specific crew members and the context of the flight, while adhering to the source material.

This article is AI-generated and fact-gated. Original reporting: Phys.org