Black Female Commander Leads SpaceX Flight to Set U.S. Speed Record

SpaceX mission led by first Black woman sets U.S. speed record, marking historic achievement in space exploration.

October 2, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — City, Country — A historic SpaceX mission has made headlines after astronauts reached the International Space Station in a record-breaking eight-hour journey, led by the first Black woman to command a crew to orbit.

The flight, launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, saw Jessica Watkins make history as the first Black woman to lead a crew into space. The mission, known as Crew-13, set a new U.S. speed record for transit to the ISS, surpassing previous records set by NASA and other U.S. operators.

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Watkins, along with three other astronauts—NASA’s Luke Delaney, Canada’s Joshua Kutryk, and Russia’s unnamed crew member—arrived at the station on Thursday, beginning a six-month stay aboard the orbital laboratory. The successful mission highlights continued progress in space exploration and diversity in leadership roles within the aerospace sector.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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