Four space travelers could go from a Florida launch pad to the International Space Station in less than eight hours on Thursday. NASA and SpaceX are targeting liftoff of the Crew-13 mission at 11:10 a.m. EDT, Oct. 1, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, according to NASA's Crew-13 mission overview. This report reflects the launch plan as of Thursday morning, Oct. 1 (ET).

If the rocket leaves on time, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft named Grace is scheduled to dock with the station's Harmony module at about 7 p.m. EDT. NASA says the planned 7-hour, 50-minute trip would be the fastest by a U.S. spacecraft in space station history. An earlier NASA update had projected docking at about 8 p.m. EDT.

The timing is tight. The launch window is instantaneous, meaning Falcon 9 must lift off at the scheduled moment for Grace to catch up and dock with the station, according to Spectrum News 13. If Thursday's attempt is scrubbed, SpaceX lists a backup opportunity on Friday, Oct. 2, at 10:47 a.m. EDT.

Meet the Four-Person Crew

The crew is commanded by NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, a geologist who studied the Martian surface as a member of the Curiosity rover science team. She previously spent 170 days in space on the Crew-4 mission in 2022 and will be the first NASA astronaut to launch twice aboard a SpaceX Dragon, according to NASA.

NASA astronaut Luke Delaney, a Florida native, distinguished naval aviator, and test pilot, will serve as pilot on his first spaceflight. Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, a former CF-18 fighter pilot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov, a naval engineer, are mission specialists, and both are also making their first spaceflight. Kutryk had previously been assigned to Boeing's Starliner-1 mission. "I was really looking forward to flying on Starliner," he said on NASA's Houston We Have a Podcast, adding that Canada needed to fly this mission and that Dragon was the fastest way to do it.

The crew will spend about six months aboard the station as part of Expedition 75. After a brief handover, the four members of Crew-12, who arrived at the station in February, are expected to begin their return to Earth no earlier than Monday, Oct. 5, according to NASA.

Weather and a Month of Delays

Weather is a key question for launch day. NASA put the chance of favorable conditions at 60%, according to Space.com's live launch coverage.

The launch comes after a delay of several weeks. Crew-13 had been expected to fly earlier, but NASA adjusted the launch date in late August after a leak was found in the oxidizer system of the Dragon spacecraft assigned to the mission. The crew entered quarantine on Sept. 17, according to a NASA commercial crew update, and completed a launch-day dress rehearsal on Sept. 29.

The Falcon 9 first stage is making its third flight, after launching Crew-12 and one Starlink mission, according to SpaceX's Crew-13 mission page. It will land at Landing Zone 40 next to the pad, so residents may hear a sonic boom. The Dragon capsule Grace previously flew the private Axiom Mission 4 in summer 2025.

A Faster Commute to Orbit

Many Dragon crews have taken more than a day to reach the station. Crew-12, for example, launched on Feb. 13 and docked on Feb. 14. If Crew-13's plan holds, the crew will make the trip in a single afternoon.

After liftoff, Falcon 9 will accelerate Dragon to about 17,500 mph (about 28,000 kilometers per hour). Once in orbit, the crew and mission controllers at NASA and SpaceX will monitor a series of maneuvers guiding Dragon to the forward-facing port of the Harmony module. Dragon is designed to dock autonomously, but the crew can take manual control if needed, according to NASA.

The quick trip is not guaranteed. Mission managers can adjust the approach if needed, and a scrub would push the schedule to Friday or later.

Science Aboard and What to Watch

The crew's work is designed to benefit research on the ground as well as in orbit. Dana Weigel, manager of NASA's Low Earth Orbit Program, said the crew will help researchers study "heart disease and Parkinson's disease" using human stem-cell-derived tissues, and will also explore crop production for longer missions, study blood flow changes seen in space, and test new diagnostic medical equipment.

While aboard, the crew is expected to welcome SpaceX's 35th commercial resupply mission this fall, which will deliver new roll-out solar arrays for the station, and Northrop Grumman's CRS-25 resupply mission later this year.

The key times are 11:10 a.m. EDT for liftoff and about 7 p.m. EDT for docking. Launch times can shift with little notice, so NASA's updates remain the most reliable source for the latest status.

What Readers Want to Know

When is the Crew-13 launch?

NASA and SpaceX are targeting 11:10 a.m. EDT on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The backup opportunity is Friday, Oct. 2, at 10:47 a.m. EDT.

How long will it take to reach the space station?

About 7 hours and 50 minutes, with docking planned around 7 p.m. EDT. NASA says that would be the fastest trip by a U.S. spacecraft in station history.

Who is on the crew?

NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov.

Why was the launch delayed?

A leak was found in the oxidizer system of the mission's Dragon spacecraft, and NASA adjusted the launch date in late August.

What is the weather forecast?

NASA put the chance of favorable launch weather at 60%.

How long will the crew stay in space?

About six months aboard the International Space Station.