SpaceX Crew-13 Successfully Docks with ISS
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – SpaceX’s Crew-13 completed a historic docking with the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday night, marking one of the fastest U.S. flights to the orbiting lab.
The crew arrived at approximately 7:05 p.m. Eastern Time after launching from Kennedy Space Center at 11:10 a.m., completing the journey in just seven hours and 55 minutes—about the same time it takes to drive from Orlando to Atlanta.
“From Spaceship Grace, thank you very much for that warm welcome,” the crew announced post-docking.
This mission signifies the second spaceflight for Spaceship Grace, with pilot Luke Delaney from DeBary included among the crew members.
Prior to liftoff, supporters gathered at Kennedy Space Center, with Janet Cataldo expressing the thrill of witnessing the launch after driving over two and a half hours. “When you hear it go off and 30 seconds later you feel the thunder and the vibration—oh my gosh, it’s totally amazing,” she said.
During their mission, the crew soared at approximately 17,500 miles per hour. A NASA representative humorously remarked, “I hope you enjoyed the expedited ride. We were hoping to have some Mountain Dew chilly and melty for you, but as it turns out, curbside doesn’t cover low Earth orbit.”
For the next six months, Crew-13 will focus on research related to human health, crop growth, and medical technology. They also shared a message of hope, expressing a desire for people to one day see Earth from space and envision a future filled with “optimism and prosperity.”
“We have to choose that,” the crew emphasized. “It is a future we feel begins through space.”
Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
