SpaceX Launches Four Astronauts on Six-Month Mission to ISS

SpaceX launches four astronauts to the ISS for a six-month mission. Live stream available.

October 1, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Cape Canaveral, United States — A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is set to lift off from Cape Canaveral on Thursday, carrying a four-member crew to the International Space Station (ISS) for a six-month stay.

The mission, designated Crew-13, was initially scheduled for last month but faced a delay due to a leak in the Dragon spacecraft. The launch is now planned for 11:10am local time (4pm UK time) from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, pending favorable weather conditions.

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The crew includes NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. During their stay, they will conduct scientific research aimed at supporting future missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as benefiting life on Earth. NASA emphasized that this partnership with private industry expands access to low-Earth orbit for more people, science, and commercial opportunities.

SpaceX is set to complete three launches within 13 hours on Thursday, including another Falcon 9 flight from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and a Falcon Heavy launch from Cape Canaveral just before midnight. While launch delays are uncommon with SpaceX’s reliable Falcon 9 rockets, weather conditions at the Florida site could pose challenges. The US Space Force estimates a 40% chance of suitable weather for the launch. The event will be streamed live on NASA’s website.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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