Four astronauts are set to fly to the International Space Station aboard NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission, launching on October 1. The Dragon spacecraft should arrive at the orbiting laboratory within just 7 hours and 50 minutes, a record for the fastest U.S. spacecraft trip to the ISS ever recorded. Live coverage of the mission’s preparations, liftoff, and docking will be offered by NASA across multiple platforms, with streaming options available through the links provided.
The Crew and Their Route
NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, CSA astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov will ride aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to the station, where they will stay for a long stretch carrying out science work and other mission duties.
Liftoff is set for 11:10 a.m. EDT on Thursday, Oct. 1, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Docking with the International Space Station is targeted for about 7 p.m. The journey from launch to docking will take 7 hours and 50 minutes on Oct. 1. If completed as scheduled, it will be the fastest trip to the station by a U.S. spacecraft in the station’s history.
The Coverage Schedule
Below is NASA’s Crew-13 mission coverage schedule, with all times listed in Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations:
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, Sept. 30 | 5 p.m. — Prelaunch news conference |
| Thursday, Oct. 1 | 9:20 a.m. — Launch coverage begins |
| Thursday, Oct. 1 | 11:10 a.m. — Launch |
| Thursday, Oct. 1 | 12:45 p.m. — Postlaunch news conference |
| Thursday, Oct. 1 | 5:20 p.m. — Arrival coverage begins |
| Thursday, Oct. 1 | 7 p.m. — Targeted docking |
| Thursday, Oct. 1 | 8:45 p.m. — Hatch opening followed by welcome remarks |
Once the primary launch broadcast concludes, NASA will offer audio-only communications between Crew-13, the International Space Station, and flight controllers as Dragon makes its way toward the orbiting laboratory.
The People Behind the Mission
On Wednesday, a prelaunch news conference brings together a team of space leaders. Dr. Lori Glaze serves as associate administrator of NASA’s Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, and Dana Weigel, manager of NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Program at Johnson Space Center in Houston. Mathieu Caron holds the role of director of Astronauts, Life Sciences, and Space Medicine at the CSA. William Gerstenmaier is vice president of Build and Flight Reliability at SpaceX. Arlena Moses fills the position of launch weather officer with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron.
On Thursday, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and Julianna Scheiman, who directs NASA Science and Dragon Programs at SpaceX, join the postlaunch news conference.
What Happens After Docking
Once aboard the International Space Station, the Crew-13 astronauts and cosmonaut will conduct a short handover with members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission. Crew-12 is set to start its trip back to Earth no sooner than Monday, Oct. 5, with NASA planning to provide more details on the Crew-12 return after Crew-13 arrives at the station.
From the prelaunch news conference until docking and the opening of the hatch, the live coverage lets viewers follow the entire trip as it happens. A record-setting journey marks a high point for American space travel, and NASA’s real-time broadcast lets anyone follow the event as it unfolds. The crew members will reach the station on Oct. 1, with two people from each nation joining forces on the mission.
Source material: “Watch Live: NASA’s Crew-13 could make the fastest U.S. trip to the ISS ever,” ScienceDaily.
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