SpaceX is set to launch two significant missions on October 1 from Florida, marking a notable day for the Space Coast. The first mission, Crew-13, is scheduled for 11:10 a.m. from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral, transporting four crew members to the International Space Station. The crew includes NASA’s Jessica Watkins, pilot Luke Delaney, Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. This marks a return for Watkins, while Delaney, Kutryk, and Teteryatnikov are first-time space travelers.
Later that night, at 11:53 p.m., SpaceX will launch the NROL-97 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A. This flight of the Falcon Heavy rocket will feature two side boosters that have flown previous missions, signaling a significant step as it’s the first NRO mission to use this powerful rocket.
With simultaneous booster landings planned at Cape Canaveral, residents might experience sonic booms as they return about eight minutes after liftoff. These missions come during a period where SpaceX is primarily focusing on its Starship project, with Falcon 9 launches now shifted to California.
