SpaceX Launches Crew-13 to International Space Station
The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral carrying two NASA astronauts, a Russian cosmonaut, and a Canadian astronaut.
SpaceX successfully launched the Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Falcon 9 rocket carried a crew of four: two NASA astronauts, one Russian cosmonaut, and one Canadian astronaut.
The mission was originally slated for mid-September but was postponed to address a valve issue in the Crew Dragon's propulsion system. The journey to the ISS is expected to take approximately 7 hours and 50 minutes.
Once aboard the station, the crew will embark on up to six months of research and experiments. Their work on the ISS is intended to contribute to future missions to the Moon and Mars, according to NASA.
This mission includes a notable personal milestone for one crew member: the Canadian astronaut's wife is expecting their third child, due two months into the mission. This makes them the fourth couple in space travel history to have a child born while one parent is off-planet, as reported by CBS News.