All eyes are turning toward Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida as SpaceX prepares to send four astronauts to the International Space Station today. The Crew-13 mission is currently scheduled for liftoff at 11:10 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 40. While there is a sixty percent chance of favorable weather, officials have warned that technical glitches or shifting clouds could push the window back, though any subsequent delays would likely result in an earlier launch time on following days. This particular flight comes after some anticipation and a few delays throughout September caused by issues with the Dragon capsule.
The international team heading into orbit consists of commander Jessica Watkins and pilot Luke Delaney from NASA, along with Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. For many on board, this is a career milestone; three of the four crew members are rookies embarking on their first journey to the station. Commander Watkins brings seasoned experience to the group as she becomes the first NASA astronaut to fly on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft twice, having previously spent nearly six months in space during the Crew-4 mission. Once they arrive, they will join three other crewmates as part of Expedition 75 for a planned six month stay focused on scientific research.
For those wanting to follow the action from home, there are plenty of ways to tune in across various digital platforms. NASA’s official livestream begins well before takeoff at 9:20 a.m. EDT and will be available via YouTube and NASA+. SpaceX is also expected to broadcast the event through its own website and X account, while enthusiasts looking for raw footage can find live views of the rocket on the pad via the Kennedy Space Center Newsroom YouTube channel starting roughly six hours before launch.
The excitement doesn’t end once the Falcon 9 clears the tower. Following a post-launch press conference led by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman at 12:45 p.m., viewers can track the spacecraft’s fast trajectory toward the station, which takes just under eight hours. Docking coverage is slated to begin at 5:20 p.m., leading up to a final rendezvous at approximately 7 p.m. Depending on final timings, NASA may provide additional streaming coverage for the welcome ceremony and hatch opening around 8:45 p.m., marking the moment when these new arrivals officially merge with their colleagues aboard the orbiting laboratory.