NASA and SpaceX are preparing to launch the Crew-13 mission on October 1, 2026, carrying four astronauts to conduct research, technology demonstrations, and maintenance aboard the International Space Station. The mission includes studies of stem cells, heart disease, and Parkinson’s disease, as well as crop production and crew health monitoring.
NASA and SpaceX are preparing to launch the Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station no earlier than 11:10 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, October 1, 2026, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The mission will carry four crew members to join the Expedition 75 crew and carry out a long-term program of scientific research, technology demonstrations, and maintenance work.
Multinational Crew
NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins will command the mission aboard the Dragon spacecraft, while NASA astronaut Luke Delaney will serve as pilot. Joshua Kutryk of the Canadian Space Agency will participate as a mission specialist, alongside Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergei Titeriatnikov. The flight will be the first spaceflight for Delaney, Kutryk, and Titeriatnikov, while Watkins will make her second journey to the station.
Watkins will be the first NASA astronaut to launch twice aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The spacecraft used for the mission is named Grace and previously flew in the summer of 2025 as part of the private astronaut Axiom Mission 4.
What Will the Mission Carry Out?
The scientific program focuses on applications whose effects could extend to medicine and long-duration spaceflight. The experiments will study tissues derived from human stem cells to support research into heart disease and Parkinson’s disease, improve disease modeling, and test drugs. The crew will also investigate crop production and blood-flow disorders that occur in space, and test new diagnostic equipment for monitoring astronaut health.
After launch, a Falcon 9 rocket will accelerate the Dragon spacecraft to a speed of approximately 17,500 miles per hour. The spacecraft will head to the forward docking port on the Harmony module, relying on autonomous docking while allowing the crew to take manual control when necessary.
Preparations and Subsequent Missions
Ground teams are continuing prelaunch checks and preparing the Falcon 9 booster for its third flight. After the systems are certified, Dragon will be attached to the rocket inside the SpaceX hangar, and the system will then be transported to the pad for an integrated dry rehearsal and static-fire test before liftoff.
Crew-13 will reach the station after a short handover period with Crew-12, which is preparing to return to Earth. During its stay, the mission will receive the thirty-fifth commercial resupply mission of NASA and SpaceX, including deployable solar arrays for the station, as well as Northrop Grumman Commercial Resupply Services-25 later in the year.
Why Does This News Matter?
The importance of Crew-13 is not limited to crew rotation; it connects the regular commercial operation of the space station with research targeting health and agricultural challenges associated with long-term habitation beyond Earth. The station provides an environment for testing these technologies before they are used in missions to the Moon and Mars, but the source does not specify expected results for the experiments or a timeline for their medical applications on Earth.