2026-10-01T15:17:38.807Z Landing! SpaceX Crew-13 reaches orbit, Falcon 9 lands (Image credit: NASA) Landing! SpaceX’s Falcon 9 first stage successfully landed after a smooth launch of Crew-13 astronauts on Crew Dragon. It landed on SpaceX Pad 40 at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Just minutes after the booster landing, the Falcon 9 upper stage shut down its engine after reaching orbit. The Dragon Grace Crew carrying Crew-13 separated shortly afterward. “Luke, Josh, Sergey, welcome to orbit. On behalf of the entire team, we thank you for flying with SpaceX today,” SpaceX radioed the crew. (Image credit: NASA) “Thank you for an incredible trip,” said Crew-13 Commander Jessica Watkins. “They say courage is grace under pressure, and the incredible teams that took us to orbit today truly embody that. Thank you for your hard work, perseverance, and courageous commitment to ensuring Grace was ready and safe to fly. We take with us on this journey all of you who have supported us along the way and we hope to make you proud.” Coming soon, Crew Dragon Grace will open its nose to expose its docking port. 12:45 pm EDT (1745 GMT), which we will broadcast live on this page. Crew-13 is scheduled to dock at the ISS at 7 pm EDT (2300 GMT), with live coverage beginning around 5:20 pm EDT (2120 GMT). Tariq Malik Editor-in-Chief, Space.com 2026-10-01T15:16:27.876Z Stage Separation! Falcon 9 first stage returns to Earth (Image credit: NASA) SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully separated its first stage, which executed a boost to land at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The second stage ignited as planned as Crew-13 heads toward orbit. “Dragon copies, nominal trajectory,” said Crew-13 Watkins. A reinforcement landing for the first stage will be carried out soon. Tariq Malik Editor-in-Chief, Space.com 2026-10-01T15:03:13.582Z SpaceX and NASA on track for Crew-13 launch SpaceX is now less than 10 minutes away from today’s planned launch of Crew-13 astronauts to the International Space Station. All systems on the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon vehicle. The weather is currently “good” for launch, but it is “dynamic,” as SpaceX’s Jessie Anderson just said on the livestream (which you can watch here). “On behalf of Luke, Josh, Sergey and I, thank you to the dedicated teams at NASA, SpaceX, CSA and Roscosmos who come together every day to make the impossible look easy, the extraordinary look routine and the future of exploration look bright,” said Crew-13 Commander Jessica Watkins. “To our families and friends, we would not be here today without your love, support and sacrifice. Human spaceflight is truly a team sport, and it is an honor and a privilege to represent all of you who have contributed to the success of this mission. With gratitude and grace, Crew-13 is ready to fly.” Today’s launch will begin an 8-hour trip to the ISS, which is pretty quick for a SpaceX mission. Our next update will come with liftoff! Tariq Malik Editor in Chief, Space.com 2026-10-01T14:38:31.388Z SpaceX fueling Falcon 9 rocket for astronaut launch SpaceX has begun fueling the Falcon 9 rocket for today’s Crew-13 launch. Takeoff remains scheduled for 11:10 a.m. EDT (1510 GMT), although weather remains a concern. Falcon 9 rockets use RP-1 rocket-grade fuel and liquid oxygen as propellant. SpaceX uses a late loading and rapid filling process to fuel its rockets. Tariq Malik Editor-in-Chief, Space.com 2026-10-01T14:32:19.685Z SpaceX retracts crew access arm for Crew-13 launch (Image credit: NASA) SpaceX has successfully retracted the sleek black-and-white crew access arm of the Crew Dragon Grace capsule in another step toward the planned launch of Crew-13 today at 11:10 a.m. EDT (1510 GMT). Four Crew-13 astronauts closed the visors of their spacesuits and assembled the launch escape system. SpaceX is preparing to begin the fueling process for today’s launch. The company uses a “quick fill” process to refuel near takeoff. Tariq Malik Editor-in-Chief, Space.com 2026-10-01T14:16:20.348Z SpaceX, NASA ‘GO’ for Crew-13 Launch NASA and SpaceX are officially 1 hour away from today’s 11:10 a.m. EDT (1510 GMT) launch of the Crew-13 astronaut flight to the ISS for NASA. Flight controllers at SpaceX launch control just gave the “GO” for launch after a readiness survey. All systems are installed on the Falcon 9 rocket carrying Crew-13’s Dragon spacecraft, called Grace. But NASA is watching the weather. At the start of today’s launch attempt, NASA now expects a 60% chance of good weather at launch. Tariq Malik Editor-in-Chief, Space.com 2026-10-01T14:11:27.536Z NASA Chief Jared Isaacman Offers Crew-13 a Safe Launch NASA Chief Jared Isaacman appeared on the agency’s launch webcast for the launch of SpaceX’s Crew-13. Isaacman met with Crew-13 commander Jessica Watkins, pilot Luke Delaney and mission specialists Joshua Kutryk and Sergey Teteryatnikov before leaving their crew quarters, where he wished them a safe flight. Watkins, the first NASA astronaut to fly twice on a Dragon. The rest of the Crew-13 crew is making the first space flight of their career. Before becoming a NASA administrator, Isaacman flew on a Crew Dragon twice as part of his private SpaceX Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn missions. He said the Dragon’s second flight brings opportunities. “The nice thing about when you’re going up twice is that you’re generally familiar with all the sounds and all the feels, and you can stay ahead of the rocket,” Isaacman said during the live webcast. “And as a result, you have more time available to observe the expressions of your crewmates and listen to them, the joy they are having for their first experience. Honestly, that was what I was most looking forward to when we arrived in orbit: to see on my second trip the reactions of all the members of my crew when they realize that they have arrived.” Tariq Malik Editor in Chief, Space.com 2026-10-01T13:21:48.229Z Crew-13 astronauts aboard SpaceX Dragon for launch, hatch closed (Image credit: NASA) The four astronauts of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 launch to the International Space Station have boarded their Crew Dragon Grace spacecraft as the countdown to today’s launch continues. The SpaceX shutdown crew has closed the hatch to the Dragon spacecraft after completing a series of communication checks. The NASA live stream has begun and you can watch it live on Space.com. Liftoff remains on target at 11:10 a.m. EDT (1510 GMT). Tariq Malik Editor-in-Chief, Space.com 2026-10-01T11:48:39.412Z Astronauts head to the launch pad From left: Sergey Teteryatnikov of Roscosmos, NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk. (Image credit: SpaceX) The sun came out on the Space Coast this morning, but many were blocked from view by rain and widespread cloud cover. Launch conditions have decreased slightly since yesterday, with a current 60% chance of a weather violation at the time of launch. Despite the weather, NASA is moving toward the planned 11:10 a.m. EDT (1510 GMT) liftoff of the SpaceX Faclon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft with Crew-13 astronauts. The crew donned their spacesuits this morning inside the operations and verification facility here at Kennedy Space Center, and departed for Launch Complex-40 at approximately 7:45 a.m. EDT (1145 GMT). It’s launch day! Weather officials predict a 40% chance of favorable conditions at Launch Complex 40 for liftoff of a @SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and a Dragon spacecraft carrying Crew-13 to the @Space_Station. Spaceflight Writer 2026-09-30T23:03:53.210Z Crew-13 is ready for launch! (Image credit: SpaceX) SpaceX’s Crew-13 astronaut mission for NASA is “on track” for its planned launch Thursday (Oct. 1) toward the International Space Station, agency officials announced during a press conference tonight (September 30). If all goes as planned, a Falcon 9 rocket will send SpaceX’s Crew Dragon “Grace” capsule toward the orbiting laboratory at 11:10 a.m. EDT (1510 GMT) from Florida’s Space Coast. But the climate will also have to cooperate, and that is far from guaranteed. The latest forecasts call for a 45% chance of a weather violation, meaning a 55% change in conditions good enough to allow a launch. If Crew-13 disappears tomorrow, the next launch opportunity will be Friday (October 2) at 10:47 a.m. EDT (1447 GMT). Whenever the mission takes off, you can watch it here on Space.com 2026-09-30T16:27:16.147Z SpaceX, NASA, 1 day away from Crew-13 launch after delays (Image credit: SpaceX)SpaceX and NASA have a T-1 day and counting until the launch of their SpaceX Crew-13 astronaut crew to the International Space Station. Liftoff is scheduled for 11:10 a.m. EDT (1510 GMT) on Thursday, October 1 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Check out our guide “What time is SpaceX’s Crew-13 astronaut launch?” if you’re looking for details on when and how to watch the launch live. At 5 pm EDT (2100 GMT), NASA and SpaceX will hold a pre-launch press conference, which you can watch here. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 Pre-Launch Press Conference (September 30, 2026): YouTube Watch On Crew-13 will launch NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins, Luke Delaney, and crewmates Josh Kutryk (from Canada) and Sergey Teteryatnikov (from Russia) on a six-month mission to the International Space Station. They will join three core members of the station’s Expedition 75 crew, who are already aboard the station, as well as four members of NASA’s soon-to-depart Crew-12 astronauts who will soon return to Earth in their own SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. Weather trackers are predicting a 60% chance of good conditions for Thursday’s launch, according to NASA. The four astronauts of Crew-13 successfully completed a dress rehearsal for launch day on Tuesday (September 10). 29), setting the stage for Thursday’s takeoff. Space.com will provide live coverage of the SpaceX Crew-13 launch, from liftoff to docking, on October 1, with coverage coming from our entire team, including spaceflight writer Josh Dinner, who is in person at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Be sure to tune in! Tariq Malik, editor-in-chief of Space.com
