- Four astronauts reached the International Space Station in about eight hours on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission, marking the fastest US launch-to-docking trip in ISS history.
SpaceX’s Crew-13 mission successfully carried four astronauts from Florida to the International Space Station on Thursday, Oct. 1, completing the journey in about eight hours and setting a US record for the fastest launch-to-docking by a spacecraft visiting the orbiting laboratory.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 11:10 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, carrying a Dragon spacecraft with NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. NASA confirmed the launch and subsequent arrival in its official Crew-13 mission coverage.
Dragon docked with the forward port of the station's Harmony module at 7:05 p.m. EDT, giving the crew a launch-to-docking time of seven hours and 55 minutes. NASA said the mission established the fastest launch-to-docking time for a US spacecraft in the history of the International Space Station.
The mission follows a launch delay related to an oxidizer leak detected during prelaunch processing of the Dragon spacecraft. NASA and SpaceX conducted additional testing and rework before proceeding with the mission.
Crew-13 Sets Fastest US Trip to the International Space Station
The unusually short transit was helped by the station's position relative to the launch site at the time of liftoff. The flight was the quickest trip to the station yet by a US entity, including NASA. Commander Jessica Watkins also made history during the mission, becoming the first Black woman to command a crew in orbit, according to the report. Watkins previously spent an extended period aboard the International Space Station in 2022.
The other three Crew-13 members are making their first trips to space. Luke Delaney serves as the NASA pilot, while Joshua Kutryk represents the Canadian Space Agency and Sergey Teteryatnikov represents Roscosmos.
After docking, the crew completed the standard procedures required before entering the station. NASA reported that the Dragon hatch opened at 9:19 p.m. EDT, allowing all four astronauts to enter the orbiting laboratory and join the existing Expedition 75 crew.
The mission is the 13th SpaceX crew rotation flight for NASA, excluding the company's 2020 Demo-2 test mission. NASA classifies Crew-13 as part of its Commercial Crew Program, which uses private spacecraft to provide transportation to and from low Earth orbit.
The mission also comes days after SpaceX completed the first orbital flight of its Starship vehicle. Wealthier Today's recent SpaceX Starship coverage examined that milestone and its implications for the company's broader spaceflight program.
Four Astronauts Begin Six-Month Science Mission
Crew-13 will now join Expedition 75 aboard the International Space Station for a long-duration science mission. NASA said the astronauts will support research and station operations during their stay. The arrival increases the station's crew to 11 people, with astronauts and cosmonauts already aboard from NASA, the European Space Agency and Roscosmos. The incoming crew will eventually replace astronauts who have been living aboard the station since February.
The International Space Station remains a major research platform for NASA and its international partners, allowing scientists to conduct experiments in microgravity and test technologies for future human missions.
NASA has described the Commercial Crew Program as part of its broader effort to maintain reliable access to low Earth orbit while developing capabilities needed for future exploration beyond it. The agency is using the ISS to support research and operational experience that can feed into longer-term plans involving the Moon and Mars.
For SpaceX, Crew-13 also demonstrates the operational cadence of its Dragon and Falcon 9 human-spaceflight system. The company continues to operate crewed missions alongside its expanding satellite-launch schedule and Starship development program.
The record-setting Crew-13 transit does not change the mission's primary objective: maintaining a long-duration human presence aboard the International Space Station while conducting scientific research and station operations. But the unusually short trip highlights how launch timing, orbital mechanics, and an established commercial crew system can combine to reduce the time astronauts spend traveling to the station.