SpaceX launches crew to ISS

The Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying SpaceX Crew‑13 to the International Space Station. The four‑person crew includes two NASA astronauts, a Russian cosmonaut, and Canadian astronaut Dr. David Legge, whose wife is six weeks pregnant with their third child.

Crew‑13’s flight was delayed from its original September slot to replace a valve in the Crew Dragon’s propulsion system. The launch will take roughly 7 hours and 50 minutes, after which the vehicle will dock with the ISS for a two‑month stay.

During the mission, the crew will conduct experiments that will help shape future lunar and Martian missions, including tests of regenerative life‑support systems and micro‑gravity research. The Canadian astronaut’s pregnancy has drawn media attention, making the crew the fourth couple in space‑flight history to have a child born while one parent is off the planet.

The mission, backed by NASA and Roscosmos, showcases the growing collaboration between national space agencies and commercial launch providers in maintaining a continuous human presence aboard the ISS.