NASA has named the four astronauts who will ride SpaceX’s Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), targeting launch no earlier than mid‑September 2026. The long‑duration flight will support Expedition 75 and marks a milestone for both SpaceX’s Dragon fleet and NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins.
Jessica Watkins to Command Crew-13
NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins will command Crew‑13, becoming the first NASA astronaut to fly to orbit twice aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon. A geologist by training, Watkins previously flew on Crew‑4 in 2022. She spent 170 days on the ISS during Expeditions 67 and 68 and became the first Black woman to live and work long‑term on the station.
NASA has also named Watkins to the Artemis astronaut cadre, making her a candidate for future lunar missions. Her second Dragon flight, this time as commander, gives her additional long‑duration and leadership experience that feeds directly into NASA’s Moon‑and‑Mars ambitions.
An International Crew for Expedition 75
As part of @NASA’s @SpaceX Crew-13 mission, four crew members from three space agencies will launch no earlier than mid-September to the International Space Station for a long-duration science expedition.
NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney will serve as spacecraft…
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) April 23, 2026
Watkins will fly with NASA pilot Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov.
Luke Delaney (NASA) – Pilot, former US Navy test pilot, selected as an astronaut in 2022, flying his first space mission.Joshua Kutryk (CSA) – Mission specialist, fighter pilot from Alberta, and the first Canadian astronaut assigned to a NASA Commercial Crew flight.Sergey Teteryatnikov (Roscosmos) – Mission specialist making his first trip to space, continuing the long‑running US‑Russian crew exchange on the ISS.
After docking, the four will join Expedition 75 for a multi‑month stay, supporting research in human physiology, physical sciences, technology demonstrations, and Earth and space science in microgravity.
Launch Timing & ISS Crew Rotation
Crew‑13 is the 13th operational crew rotation NASA has contracted with SpaceX under the Commercial Crew Program, using a Crew Dragon capsule launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Centre, Florida. NASA recently advanced the launch target from November to mid‑September 2026 to keep ISS crew rotations on a steady cadence following Artemis II’s return and to avoid gaps like the unplanned break between Crews 11 and 12.
Once in orbit, Crew‑13 will replace SpaceX Crew‑12, allowing a standard handover period before the outgoing Dragon departs. Their arrival will also overlap with other Expedition 75 members flying on Soyuz, maintaining a seven‑person permanent crew on the orbital outpost.
Why This Mission Matters
Scientifically, Crew‑13 extends the ISS’s role as a testbed for technologies and human‑health research needed for future deep‑space missions. Strategically, it reinforces NASA’s reliance on commercial crew vehicles for routine access to low Earth orbit while the agency pushes Artemis toward the lunar surface.