NASA and SpaceX’s Crew-13 arrived at the International Space Station Thursday evening, marking a record-breaking journey to orbit. The Dragon spacecraft hatch opened about two hours later, and the station gained four new members on board.
“It’s amazing and kind of ironic to think that it’s such a short trip to get here because the journey to get here has been long,” SpaceX Crew-13 commander Jessica Watkins said onboard the ISS Thursday evening.
The New Crew Arrives
The SpaceX Crew-13 mission includes commander Watkins of NASA, pilot Luke Delaney of NASA, mission specialist Joshua Kutryk of the Canadian Space Agency and Sergey Teteryatnikov of Roscosmos. They flew under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which partners with private space exploration companies like SpaceX.
The arrival comes as Crew-12 has been aboard the station since February. Now, NASA and SpaceX are preparing for Crew-12’s return to Earth as soon as Monday, Oct. 5, pending the weather back on Earth.
The Crew Lineup
Jessica Watkins leads the group as commander. Luke Delaney serves as pilot. Joshua Kutryk represents the Canadian Space Agency, and Sergey Teteryatnikov joins from Roscosmos.
The four arrived Thursday evening, and the hatch opened shortly after.
The Handover Plan
Sunday will mark a formal shift in responsibility. Crew-12 will officially transition its mission duties to Crew-13, and Crew-12 Commander Jessica Meir will hand over command of the ISS to Roscosmos Pyotr Dubrov. Dubrov’s crew reached the station in July.
The handover is a significant moment for the station’s operations. As one crew leaves, the next takes over, ensuring continuous work aboard the orbital laboratory.
What Crew-12 Has Done
Crew-12 spent their time on the station researching pneumonia-causing bacteria, blood flow in spaceflight and the generation of intravenous fluids or IVs in space.
Dana Weigel, who manages NASA’s low Earth orbit missions, said initial surveys of the spacecraft and equipment Crew-12 will take back to Earth went well as of Thursday.
| Crew | Commander | Pilot | Mission Specialist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crew-12 | Jessica Meir | Jack Hathaway | Sophie Adenot |
| Crew-13 | Jessica Watkins | Luke Delaney | Joshua Kutryk |
The Return Timeline
Crew-12’s departure is set for Monday, Oct. 5, pending weather back on Earth.
The timeline shows the sequence of events:
- Thursday evening: Crew-13 arrives at the ISS.
- Hatch opens: About two hours after arrival.
- Sunday: Crew-12 hands over mission responsibilities to Crew-13.
- Monday, Oct. 5: Crew-12 departs Earth, pending weather.
The Commercial Crew Program
SpaceX Crew-12 and Crew-13 are part of the rotations under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. That program is a public-private partnership that uses commercial space equipment to fly NASA-trained astronauts and international partners to the ISS.
SpaceX and Boeing each have multi-billion dollar contracts with NASA under the Commercial Crew Program.
The Weather Contingency
The return is contingent on conditions back on Earth. If weather prevents a safe landing, the crew will remain in orbit until the situation improves.
The contingency planning reflects the reality of ocean landings. Seas can be rough, and a safe window may not open immediately.
What Comes Next
The station will continue operating with the new crew in place. Research will continue, and daily tasks will proceed as scheduled.
The handover itself is a reminder of the human element in spaceflight. These are not anonymous figures; they are individuals with names and faces, carrying out their duties in the vacuum of space.
The return of Crew-12 on Monday will mark the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. The station will move forward with a new team at the controls, and the cycle of rotation will continue.
For now, the focus remains on the present moment. The hatch is open, the crew is aboard, and the station is ready to welcome its newest arrivals.
Source material: “NASA, SpaceX’s Crew-13 is onboard the ISS. After swapping places, Crew-12 could return Monday,” Houston Public Media.
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