Crew-13: Road to launch
NASA and SpaceX are now targeting no earlier than at 11:10 am ET for the launch of Crew-13 to the International Space Station. Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Colonel Joshua Kutryk will make his first space flight alongside NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. The four crewmembers will live and work aboard the Station for about six months.
The week leading up to launch is a busy one for the astronauts and mission team, with several key milestones to complete before the mission can begin. The scheduled activities mark the final steps to confirm both the crew and the vehicle are ready for launch.
Crew arrival at Kennedy Space Center
Crew-13 in front of a T-38 airplane at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett)
Crew-13 started their quarantine on in Houston, Texas. Although formal mission training has concluded, they continue reviewing procedures, preparing for the mission and supporting operational activities. On , the crew flew themselves in two T-38 fighter jets to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. They will continue their quarantine at the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building.
Rocket rollout
A Falcon 9 rocket rolls out to the launch pad. (Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)
On , the Falcon 9 rocket and the Dragon spacecraft that Crew-13 will take to the International Space Station was rolled out to Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket and the Dragon were put together inside a hangar beforehand and then rolled out horizontally on a transporter erector. Once the rocket arrived it was raised vertically, into launch position.
Static fire test
A Falcon 9 rocket on the launch pad. (Credit: SpaceX)
After rollout Crew-13's Falcon 9 rocket performed a static fire test. For this test the mission team fired all nine Merlin engines on the rocket for approximately 10 seconds. Engineers evaluate pressure, thrust levels and ignition timing, among other indicators, to assess the health of the Falcon 9.
Dry dress rehearsal
Crew-13 training in a Dragon capsule simulator. (Credits: CSA, SpaceX)
A dry dress rehearsal is designed for the astronauts and mission team to practise all the steps leading up to launch. However, during the operations, the rocket is not fuelled, which is why it's called a dry dress rehearsal. On , members of Crew-13 put on their space suits, travelled to the launch pad and boarded the spacecraft, while the mission team monitored the spacecraft and practised countdown operations. Now that these tests are complete, Crew-13 is ready for launch.
Follow the CSA's social media channels and website for the most up-to-date information on Joshua Kutryk's space flight.