CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Four astronauts launched into orbit Thursday on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) that will last until spring. Among the crew is Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk, whose wife is expected to give birth while he is away. SpaceX launched commander Jessica Watkins and her team for NASA after a three-week delay due to a fuel leak in their Dragon capsule. Despite thick clouds that threatened the launch, conditions improved enough for a successful liftoff.
The journey to the ISS is expected to be the fastest yet for SpaceX, taking approximately eight hours. Watkins, who is making her second trip to the ISS, became the first Black woman to lead a crew to orbit. She previously worked with NASA's Mars rover Curiosity.
After reaching orbit, Watkins expressed gratitude for the successful launch, stating, "Thanks for an amazing ride."
The other crew members include NASA's Luke Delaney, a retired Marine; Canada's Joshua Kutryk, a colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force; and Russia's Sergey Teteryatnikov, a former submariner. They will replace four astronauts currently at the ISS who have been there since February.
This marks the 13th crew launch by SpaceX for NASA, excluding a test flight in 2020. The Crew-13 designation pays homage to Apollo 13, which famously returned its astronauts safely after a harrowing mission. The crew's launch vehicle bore license plates reading "Lucky 13," and they brought a small crocheted dragon named Lucky as a good luck charm.
Kutryk will be the fourth astronaut to become a father while in space, with his wife Heather due to give birth to their third child in late November. The Canadian Space Agency has promised to support the family during this time. NASA manager Dana Weigel noted the agency's efforts to keep Kutryk connected with his family during the mission.
In previous instances, NASA has facilitated communication between astronauts and their families during significant events, including births. For example, in 2004, astronaut Mike Fincke was able to connect with his wife during the birth of their daughter.
In addition to the Crew-13 launch, SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon rocket from California carrying over 100 mini satellites. Another Falcon rocket is scheduled to launch later Thursday night from Florida with a classified satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office. This week also marked the first successful orbital flight of SpaceX's massive Starship.