NASA's SpaceX Crew-13 successfully docked with the International Space Station, setting a new record for the fastest American spacecraft transit and marking the arrival of four new crew members.
The crew then boarded the Dragon spacecraft at Space Launch Complex 40, 2.5 hours before the Falcon 9 rocket's ignition at 11:10 a.m. EDT, which initiated their journey to the International Space Station.
Dragon initiated its orbital maneuvers with a boost burn at 8:58 a.m. Pacific Time, which positioned the spacecraft with its apogee, or highest orbital point, ten kilometers below the International Space Station.
Subsequent burns, including a transfer burn at 1:59 p.m. Eastern, gradually increased Dragon's orbit, bringing it to within 2.5 kilometers below the station's altitude.
An out-of-plane burn conducted at 4:24 p.m. Eastern was the final step to precisely align Dragon's orbital track with that of the International Space Station, ensuring a smooth approach.
Hatch opening, allowing the crew to enter the ISS, was scheduled to occur approximately two hours after the hard capture was confirmed.
A nose cone on the spacecraft opens shortly after launch, revealing forward bulkhead thrusters and the docking mechanism essential for connecting with the space station.
Powering Dragon during its free flight are solar cells housed within its trunk, which also provides additional unpressurized cargo capacity for missions.
For navigation in space, Dragon utilizes 16 Draco thrusters, each capable of generating 90 pounds of force to maneuver the spacecraft to its precise destination.
The entire transit from launch to docking was completed in approximately eight hours, significantly expediting the crew's arrival.
Due to this rapid timeline, the crew was provided with an opportunity to take a nap, a departure from typical longer sleep shifts on extended missions, demonstrating the efficiency of the flight plan.
The mission has proceeded smoothly, with all burns and the launch countdown adhering to established procedures, despite initial concerns about a tight launch weather window that ultimately cleared just in time for liftoff.
These individually fitted suits are designed specifically for launch and reentry phases of flight, distinct from the Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMUs) used for spacewalks.
During the dynamic docking operations, which involve thruster firings and bringing two spacecraft together, the crew remains buckled into their seats within these suits.
Astronauts Jessica Meir and Sophie Adno recently installed this crucial hardware, which requires periodic replacement due to buildup from arriving and departing spacecraft.
The Cronus flight controller, an acronym for Communication Radio Frequency on Board, Network Utilization Specialist, is instrumental in obtaining and monitoring views of the spacecraft as it approaches the International Space Station for operational purposes.
Today marks the 68th anniversary of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which coincides with the launch of Crew-13. Additionally, it has been six months since the Artemis II crew launched from Kennedy Space Center.
Crew-12 is currently packing and getting ready to go home and wrap up their long duration mission aboard the International Space Station.
The Dragon spacecraft successfully completed procedure 4.010, marking the completion of the approach initiation burn, as confirmed by NASA Mission Control. Following this, the crew prepared for procedure 4.011, the next step in the sequence. Communication between the crew and ground control, specifically the CORE (Crew Operations Resource Engineer) in Hawthorne, is important for following these detailed procedures.
Docking involves a 'soft capture' phase where initial contact is made, followed by a 'hard capture' that firmly secures Dragon to the ISS using 12 mechanical hooks.
This boost burn placed the crew in an orbit where Dragon's apogee, the highest point, was 10 kilometers lower than the International Space Station.
A subsequent close burn at 12:44 p.m. Eastern ensured that Dragon maintained an orbit roughly 10 kilometers lower than the station throughout its entire path around Earth, effectively shadowing the ISS.
The NASA and SpaceX teams conducted a 'go/no-go' poll to allow the Dragon spacecraft to enter the 'Keep Out Sphere,' an imaginary 200-meter radius around the International Space Station.
This checkpoint is vital for confirming that all guidance, navigation, and control systems on Dragon are functioning correctly before it moves closer to the station.
The safety requirement stipulates that if Dragon were to lose control of its thrusters, both Dragon and the space station would remain safe for four orbits, approximately six hours.
The Crew-13 astronauts initiated suit leak checks, a critical safety procedure to ensure the integrity of their suits in the event of cabin depressurization during the dynamic flight phase.
These checks were performed after the spacecraft passed waypoint zero, as Dragon continued its approach and converged on waypoint one.
Mission Control confirmed the crew's 'go' to proceed with procedure 0.011 for these essential suit leak checks.
NASA astronaut Anil Menon maintains a C2V2 direct ship-to-ship communication link, providing an added layer of redundancy for data transmission during the docking process.
The mission involves integrated operations between Mission Control Houston, responsible for the ISS, and MCCX Hawthorne, which oversees SpaceX's Dragon operations.
Both ground teams adhere to the same comprehensive flight rules and operational playbooks.
Specialized consoles, such as the VVO (Visiting Vehicle Officer) for trajectory milestones and the ICE console in Mission Control for the Dragon, work to monitor the spacecraft's approach.
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is currently progressing past waypoint one and is on its final approach toward waypoint two.
The spacecraft is on a northeastern trajectory, navigating near the northern coast of Australia, as it meticulously aligns for docking.
Mission Control teams in both Houston and Hawthorne are actively engaged, meticulously verifying all systems and procedures at each checkpoint to ensure a safe and successful docking.
NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins, the commander of Crew-13, and pilot Luke Delaney are closely monitoring the autonomous docking process, which allows for hands-off operation.
Despite the autonomous nature, the crew maintains the critical ability to take manual control of the spacecraft if any issues arise during the approach or docking sequence.
The docking is scheduled to occur at the Node 2 forward port, commonly known as the Harmony module, a standard docking location for Dragon spacecraft.
As Dragon neared the International Space Station, it passed the 'Chop' point, a milestone for the docking sequence.
This designation stands for crew hands off point, meaning that at that point, the crew cannot command any abort.
Any necessary abort procedure from this point forward must be automatically executed by the Dragon spacecraft's systems.
This critical event occurred at 6:05 p.m. Central Time, positioning the spacecraft 263 statute miles over the Northeast Pacific Ocean.
The total transit time from launch to this initial docking phase was recorded at 7 hours and 55 minutes, marking a new record for an American spacecraft.
Following soft capture, the process transitions to hard capture, involving the engagement of 12 hooks in two sets of six to firmly secure Dragon to the station.
This measure ensures that everything stays perfectly aligned during the sensitive docking process.
The operational practice is something developed where exercise is not scheduled at a time when docking or undocking operations are occurring, similar to how solar arrays were put in a safe position during the Artemis two mission to avoid movement from astronaut exercise.
The Dragon spacecraft is now officially docked at the Node 2 forward port of the International Space Station.
Following these crucial steps, the crew on board Dragon will prepare for hatch opening, which includes doffing their flight suits and conducting final cabin checks.
This process, known as doffing, allows the crew to reconfigure the interior cabin of the Dragon spacecraft.
The change from suit-based communication to handheld handsets is also part of the procedure.
They're still strapped into their suits, but you could see that microgravity is helping their arms float a little bit... Yeah, they did get the go to get out of their suits as well.
The vestibule, the space between the Dragon Grace hatch and the International Space Station's hatch, was exposed to vacuum and now requires careful pressurization.
This process brings the vestibule up to 14.7 psi to match that of the International Space Station and Dragon Grace.
Thermal stabilization is necessary after vacuum exposure before starting to bring it up to pressure, involving periodic pauses in the sequence.
Inside the Dragon Grace spacecraft, the crew members are actively engaged in removing their flight suits, transitioning from suit-integrated communication systems to handheld handsets.
The crew is doffing their suits as part of the procedures inside the cabin.
The crew is working on pressurizing the vestibule and performing closeout duties before hatch opening.
Astronaut Jessica Meir initiated a call to Mission Control, requesting authorization to proceed with a specific step, designated as 3.1, in the ongoing docking operations checklist.
Mission Control confirmed that the plan is to follow the established schedule and that they would provide the 'go' command when the appropriate time arrived, maintaining a strictly regimented process until the formal hatch opening.
Capcom Julia Hildebrand granted approval to astronaut Jessica Meir to proceed to the next step in the hatch opening checklist.
Air introduction continues to ensure proper pressure equalization as the crew prepares for the final hatch opening procedures.
The crew confirmed the shift, indicating they would push all cabin audio, including seats and microphones, over to the ISS network.
Crew members also provided an update on their status, reporting that all four suits are currently docked, connected, and undergoing a 25-minute drying process, as they prepare for full egress into the station.
Specific items such as water bags 2032 and 2025, and food bag 3011, were logged as consumed, alongside monitoring the status of the urine waste system, which had recorded four cycles prior to flushing.
This increase is temporary, as Crew-12 members are scheduled to depart in a few days, requiring the existing crew to plan for the logistics of fitting everyone for events such as the welcome ceremony.
Mission Control Houston identified a pending waste system flush as a critical prerequisite before proceeding with the hatch opening.
SpaceX and Dragon crew communicated to sync up on the status, particularly regarding section three procedures.
The crew confirmed that the urine flush was in progress and that the suit drying timers had completed, allowing them to deactivate the suit fans and prepare for stowing the suits.
Expedition 75, awaiting the new crew, had adjusted their sleep schedule with a midday nap to accommodate the late-night operation.
The equalization process was expected to last two minutes before the final hatch opening, allowing for pressure balance between the Dragon spacecraft and the International Space Station.
At 8:19 p.m. Central Time on October 1st, 2026, the Dragon hatch officially opened, allowing Crew-13 to begin their entry into the ISS, where Expedition 75 members awaited to greet them.
NASA astronaut Luke Delaney, the pilot, entered next, with Commander Jessica Watkins being the last of Crew-13 to board, completing the transition as Mission Control monitored the handshake ceremony.
Jessica Watkins, Crew-13 Commander, expressed disbelief at the quick travel time, noting the irony compared to the long journey of preparation, and thanked ground teams and loved ones for their support.
Joshua Kutryk highlighted the return of the Canadian flag to the station after a long absence, sharing his excitement for the mission ahead, especially after some much-needed sleep.
Sergey Teteryatnikov conveyed his gratitude to Roscosmos and SpaceX for the opportunity to participate in the mission, expressing happiness for the work ahead.
Mission Control acknowledged the crew's successful record-breaking launch and docking, completing the journey in seven hours and 55 minutes, and wished them rest before beginning their work.
It is hard to believe that we're already here, but we are super glad to be here. Super glad to be here with expedition 75.
Answers come from the transcript, with the exact spot cited.
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