Crew-13: 6 Details That Matter Before the October 1 Launch

SpaceX confirmed on September 25 that the Dragon spacecraft has arrived at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral, putting the Crew-13 mission on track for its October 1 liftoff to the International Space Station. It's the 13th operational crewed flight under NASA's Commercial Crew Program, and after a delay that pushed the original early-September date, the team appears ready to go. Here's everything worth knowing before the countdown begins.

1. Launch is set for October 1 at 11:10 a.m. ET

The targeted liftoff window opens Thursday, October 1, at 11:10 a.m. Eastern Time (1510 GMT). A backup opportunity is available the following day, October 2, at 10:47 a.m. ET. If the launch proceeds on schedule, Dragon is expected to dock with the ISS roughly nine hours after liftoff — around 8 p.m. EDT that evening. That's a tight, same-day-ish transit that has become routine for SpaceX crewed missions.

2. The delay was caused by an oxidizer leak — now fixed

Crew-13 was originally targeting early September. During prelaunch processing, engineers detected an oxidizer leak in Dragon's propulsion system. SpaceX traced it to a faulty oxidizer valve, which was successfully replaced by September 16. The fix pushed the schedule back by roughly three weeks but avoided any hardware swap that would have required a longer stand-down. According to NASA, the capsule passed subsequent checks before being cleared for pad rollout.

3. This Dragon capsule has flown before — on Crew-4

The vehicle heading to orbit on October 1 is a veteran. This specific Dragon capsule previously carried the Crew-4 mission to the ISS, making Crew-13 its second human spaceflight. SpaceX routinely reuses Dragon capsules as part of the Commercial Crew Program, with each vehicle certified for multiple flights. The Falcon 9 booster assigned to this mission is also on its third flight, having previously launched Crew-12 and one Starlink mission.

4. Four astronauts from three countries are on the crew

Crew-13 is an international mission. NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins serves as Commander, with NASA astronaut Luke Delaney as Pilot. Joining them are Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov, both flying as Mission Specialists. The four-person crew will live and work aboard the ISS for approximately seven months before returning to Earth.

5. Pad 40 is SpaceX's workhorse launch site

Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station has become SpaceX's primary Falcon 9 pad for both crewed and commercial missions. It sits just south of the historic Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, which SpaceX uses for heavier-lift Falcon Heavy and Starship operations. Routing Dragon through SLC-40 for crew missions is standard practice, and the pad's high cadence means ground crews are well-rehearsed for the processing steps ahead of a crewed launch.

6. A seven-month ISS expedition follows docking

Once Dragon docks at approximately 8 p.m. EDT on October 1, the Crew-13 astronauts will hand off station operations from the outgoing crew and settle in for a roughly seven-month stay. That puts their return window somewhere around late April or May 2027. During that time the crew will conduct science experiments, maintenance tasks, and potentially spacewalks — the full scope of which NASA will detail closer to launch. For SpaceX coverage of the mission as it progresses, check back here.

With Dragon now at the pad and the propulsion issue resolved, the main variable between now and October 1 is Florida weather. SpaceX and NASA will hold a launch readiness review in the days ahead before giving the final go for fueling and liftoff.

This report was curated by the BASENOR Editorial Desk from the sources listed above. Read our editorial standards or email editorial@basenor.com to report an error.