NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than 11:10 a.m. Thursday for the launch of the Crew-13 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The mission will send four people to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft Grace: NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins, the spacecraft commander, and Luke Delaney, the pilot; Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk; and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. Kutryk and Teteryatnikov will serve as mission specialists.
The U.S. Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron forecast a 40% chance of favorable conditions for Thursday’s attempt. If needed, a backup launch opportunity is scheduled for 10:47 a.m. Friday.
After reaching the station, the crew is expected to join Expedition 75 for an approximately six-month stay. Their work is planned to include research, technology demonstrations and maintenance aboard the orbiting laboratory.
NASA says the research program includes studies related to heart disease and Parkinson’s disease using human stem-cell-derived tissues, along with work on crop production, blood-flow abnormalities in space and diagnostic equipment for monitoring astronaut health.
Crew-13 is the 13th SpaceX crew-rotation flight to the station under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The Falcon 9 booster is being prepared for its third flight, while Dragon Grace previously flew the private Axiom Mission 4 in summer 2025.
