Florida: A SpaceX crew led by NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins reached the International Space Station on October 1 after an eight-hour journey that set a US speed record.
The Crew-13 mission launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft. The crew reached the ISS in less than eight hours, making it the fastest journey to the station by a US spacecraft. The station’s position at the time of launch helped make the unusually quick transit possible.
The mission also marked a historic milestone for Watkins, who became the first Black woman to lead a crew to orbit. The NASA astronaut and geologist is making her second journey to the International Space Station after previously spending an extended period there in 2022.
Watch Falcon Heavy launch NROL-97 https://t.co/scL8chccHc
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 2, 2026
Watkins was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017 and previously worked as part of the science team for NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity. During the latest mission, Watkins serves as commander of Crew-13 and will join the Expedition 75 crew aboard the station.
After reaching orbit, Watkins expressed her appreciation for the launch, describing the journey as an “amazing ride.” The other Crew-13 members are NASA astronaut Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. Delaney is serving as pilot, while Kutryk and Teteryatnikov are mission specialists. The three are making their first trips into space.
The four astronauts will spend about six months aboard the International Space Station, conducting scientific research, technology demonstrations and maintenance work. They will replace the current crew members who have been living aboard the orbital laboratory since February.
The mission had been delayed for around three weeks while teams addressed a fuel leak involving the Dragon spacecraft. After the necessary repairs and checks, NASA and SpaceX proceeded with the October 1 launch. Crew-13 is the 13th crew rotation mission conducted by SpaceX for NASA and continues the partnership between the US space agency and the private space company in maintaining regular human transportation to the ISS.
The successful arrival came during a busy week for SpaceX, following a major Starship test that reached orbit before its mission ended prematurely. The Crew-13 mission nevertheless marked a significant milestone for both US human spaceflight and Watkins, who made history while leading the crew on its record-speed journey to the space station.
YOU MAY LIKE | Michael Jordan ‘Last Dance’ jersey breaks auction record
