SpaceX’s Crew-13 mission is on track to launch four astronauts to the International Space Station no earlier than Sept. 12 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with a seven-month stay ahead of them, according to NASA and SpaceX officials who briefed reporters Monday (Aug. 3).

What Happened

The crew — commander Jessica Watkins and pilot Luke Delaney of NASA, mission specialist Josh Kutryk of the Canadian Space Agency, and mission specialist Sergey Teteryatnikov of Roscosmos — will be the second to fly aboard the Dragon capsule 'Grace.' They are slated to dock with the station the day after launch and join Expedition 75/76.

Watkins, who flew once before, becomes the first active NASA astronaut to ride a Dragon twice. The mission includes internal and external maintenance, several spacewalks, visiting vehicle operations, science experiments, and outreach activities, she said during the press conference.

Kutryk will be the fourth Canadian on an ISS crew and the second this year after Jeremy Hansen’s Artemis II lunar flight in April. 'Personally, myself, I grew up on a cattle farm in Canada... it's a long way from being here,' he said, thanking the teams behind the mission.

NASA’s Dana Weigel reported that final integration of Dragon is complete and the capsule was stacked on its trunk last week. The Falcon 9 booster assigned to Crew-13 previously flew Crew-12; maintenance will begin this month with no major issues tracked for the campaign.

On Friday (Aug. 7), the crew will don new 'Rev. 3' SpaceX suits — designed for easier donning and doffing and adjustments for spinal growth in orbit — and perform a test drive of Grace to build muscle memory, according to managers.

The capsule also features metal 'mud flaps' on its Draco abort thrusters, replacing carbon fiber versions. For the first time, emergency pad evacuations will use Tesla Cybertrucks operated by SpaceX, with extensive certification for gloved hands and bulky suits, said Richard Jones of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Why It Matters

Crew-13 continues NASA’s commercial crew partnership with SpaceX while broadening international cooperation on the ISS. The mission carries research aimed at heart disease and Parkinson’s by studying stem cell-derived tissues, crop production for long-duration flights, blood flow abnormality studies, and new diagnostic medical equipment testing.

The flight also showcases incremental hardware upgrades — from revised spacesuits to abort-thruster shielding and Cybertruck evacuation vehicles — that refine the Dragon system as NASA and SpaceX expand human spaceflight cadence. The seven-month expedition adds to a busy year for station operations and crew rotation.

The Bottom Line

With integration complete, booster maintenance scheduled, and no major issues identified, Crew-13 remains on schedule for its mid-September liftoff — carrying four astronauts and a full slate of science and station work into orbit.