OMM Redaksiyası
SpaceX’s four-person Crew-13 team arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on Oct. 1. The crew includes US astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteriatnikov.
A live broadcast showed the astronauts entering the station, where they were welcomed by its seven current residents. Those aboard include the four members of Crew-12, whose mission has lasted more than seven months and who are expected to return to Earth soon.
“The trip was very quick. It’s hard to believe we’re already here,” Crew-13 commander Watkins said.
Watkins said being aboard the station was a special experience and that the crew was looking forward to beginning work together. She thanked the Expedition 75 crew for the warm welcome.
Falcon 9 rocket launches from Cape Canaveral
The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral in the US state of Florida. Three minutes after launch, the rocket’s reusable first stage separated from the spacecraft, returned to Earth and landed successfully.
The rocket’s upper stage continued toward orbit with the Crew Dragon spacecraft and its four passengers. The flight took eight hours, setting a speed record for US astronauts on this route.
Mission focuses on human health
The crew will conduct scientific research aboard the ISS. The studies will focus primarily on how extended stays in orbit affect human health and performance.
This is NASA’s 13th long-duration crew sent to the station aboard a SpaceX spacecraft since the company began carrying US astronauts into orbit in May 2020.
SpaceX continues Starship tests
The mission began days after another milestone for SpaceX’s next-generation Starship spacecraft. During the program’s 14th uncrewed test flight since 2023, Starship reached orbit for the first time and deployed its first commercial satellite.
Alongside regular crewed flights to the ISS, SpaceX is testing the larger Starship spacecraft, which is being developed for future missions beyond low Earth orbit.
