NASA clears Crew-13 after launch readiness review
NASA, SpaceX and international partner teams have cleared the Crew-13 mission for launch to the International Space Station, according to the report. The mission will carry four crew members for an approximately six-month stay aboard the orbiting laboratory.
The clearance followed a Launch Readiness Review covering the rocket, spacecraft, ground infrastructure, crew preparations and weather conditions. Mission teams returned a unanimous decision to proceed with the countdown, marking a major milestone before liftoff.
Crew-13 is targeting launch no earlier than 11:10 AM EDT on Thursday, October 1, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. For viewers in India, that corresponds to 8:40 PM IST on the same day.
NASA and SpaceX prepare Falcon 9 and Dragon
The crew will travel aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft launched by a Falcon 9 rocket. Following liftoff, Falcon 9 will carry Dragon into orbit before the spacecraft continues its journey towards the ISS.
With the readiness review complete, teams will move through the remaining launch preparations. Clearance to continue the countdown does not mean the mission has already launched; liftoff remains dependent on acceptable conditions and the completion of final checks. The flight continues NASA and SpaceX’s commercial crew operations, which transport astronauts to the space station for extended periods of research and operational work.
NASA mission brings together international crew
According to the report, the four-member crew comprises NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. Their assignment brings together personnel from three space agencies, reflecting the international cooperation involved in operating the ISS. Once aboard, the crew is scheduled to conduct research, support station operations and perform maintenance during its six-month stay.
The mission’s work will extend well beyond launch day. Living and working in orbit requires the crew to balance scientific activities with the regular tasks needed to keep the station functioning. For Crew-13, the planned October 1 liftoff will begin an extended assignment hundreds of kilometres above Earth. The immediate focus remains on completing the countdown and safely beginning the journey to the space station.
