Crew-13 docked at the International Space Station at 7:05 p.m. EDT on Oct. 1, 2026, 7 hours and 55 minutes after launching from Florida, NASA said. It was the fastest launch-to-docking of a US spacecraft in the history of the station.
The SpaceX Crew Dragon, named Grace, lifted off at 11:10 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and docked at the forward port of the Harmony module.
Four astronauts are aboard for a stay of about six months, taking over from the Crew-12 crew.
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How the Record Was Set
The previous US record was 12 hours and 33 minutes, set by the uncrewed Cargo Dragon on the CRS-31 resupply flight in November 2024, Space.com reported. The fastest earlier crewed US trip was 14 hours 43 minutes, by Crew-11 in August 2025.
The trip was not the overall record. A Russian Soyuz carrying three crew reached the station in 3 hours 3 minutes in May 2020, Space.com reported.
Julianna Scheiman, SpaceX’s director of NASA science and Dragon programs, said after launch that the team “got lucky this time,” according to Space.com. SpacePolicyOnline attributed the speed to a favorable orbital alignment between the launch pad and the station after a recent reboost. NASA had planned a trip of about 7 hours 50 minutes, IBTimes reported.
Who Is on Board
The crew is NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov, NASA said. It is Delaney’s first trip to space, and Watkins’ second to the station, IBTimes reported.
They launched later than planned. The flight was originally meant to arrive in mid-September, but the launch was postponed because of a leak aboard Dragon, AFP reported.
Handover From Crew-12
The new crew is relieving the Crew-12 astronauts: NASA’s Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, France’s Sophie Adenot and Russia’s Andrey Fedyaev. Reports from Oct. 1 said Crew-12 could return as early as Oct. 5, depending on weather, according to SpacePolicyOnline and AFP.
Space cooperation between the United States and Russia has continued on the station despite the breakdown of many agreements after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, AFP noted.
FAQ: Crew-13 Docking Record
How long did Crew-13 take to reach the ISS?
7 hours and 55 minutes from launch to docking, according to NASA.
Who is on board?
NASA’s Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, the Canadian Space Agency’s Joshua Kutryk and Roscosmos’ Sergey Teteryatnikov.
How long will the crew stay on the station?
About six months.
Looking Ahead
Watch for Crew-12’s return to Earth, which was weather-dependent when Crew-13 arrived, and for the first science results from the mission. The record may stand only as long as orbital alignment allows another quick trip.
Sources
- NASA — Dragon docks, bringing SpaceX Crew-13 to station
- Space.com — SpaceX Crew-13 astronauts dock at ISS less than 8 hours after launch
- SpacePolicyOnline — Crew-13 arrives at ISS as Crew-12 prepares to depart
- AFP via The Standard — Four-member crew docks at International Space Station
- IBTimes UK — SpaceX sets American speed record to the ISS
