Four astronauts arrived at the International Space Station on Thursday, completing the fastest U.S. express flight to the orbiting laboratory to date.
Key facts
- •The eight-hour flight set a speed record for any American entity, including NASA and SpaceX.
- •Commander Jessica Watkins is the first Black woman to lead a crewed mission to orbit.
- •The mission was delayed by three weeks to address a leaking fuel system on the Dragon capsule.
- •Joshua Kutryk is the fourth man to become a father while in orbit, with his child due in late November.
- •The crew will replace four astronauts who have lived at the station since February.
Four astronauts arrived at the International Space Station on Thursday following an eight-hour flight that established a new U.S. speed record. The crew launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule, overcoming a three-week delay caused by a fuel system leak and concerns over morning cloud cover. The mission, designated Crew-13, marks the 13th crewed flight SpaceX has conducted for NASA.
By the numbers
Crew Composition and Mission Details
The mission is commanded by Jessica Watkins, who became the first Black woman to lead a crew to orbit. Watkins, a geologist who previously worked on NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity, is joined by pilot Luke Delaney, a retired Marine; Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk, a colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force; and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov, a former submariner. The crew will replace four astronauts who have been stationed at the laboratory since February and are scheduled to remain on board for six months.
Personal Milestones and Mission Symbolism
The crew leaned into the number 13, naming their mission Crew-13 in reference to the 1970 Apollo 13 mission. They traveled to the launch pad in vehicles with 'Lucky 13' license plates and carried a small crocheted dragon named Lucky. Among the crew, Joshua Kutryk is expecting the birth of his third child in late November. NASA has committed to supporting his connection to his family during the mission, continuing a history of space agencies facilitating communication between orbiting astronauts and their families during significant life events.
SpaceX Launch Activity
The successful launch of the Crew-13 mission was part of a busy week for SpaceX. Following the crew's liftoff, the company launched a Falcon rocket from California carrying over 100 mini satellites. Additionally, a separate Falcon rocket was scheduled to launch a classified satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office from Florida later the same day. These activities follow the company's recent achievement of reaching orbit with its Starship vehicle.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Phys.org.
