Florida — October 1, 2026

Canadian Space Agency astronaut and Royal Canadian Air Force Colonel Joshua Kutryk is scheduled to depart for the International Space Station today on NASA's SpaceX Crew-13 mission. It will be his first spaceflight.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon spacecraft is targeted to lift off at 11:10 a.m. Eastern time from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch remains subject to weather and final safety checks.

Kutryk is travelling with NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. This will be the first flight by a Canadian Space Agency astronaut under NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

The crew reached the launch pad and boarded Dragon this morning. Teams checked communications, inspected the spacesuits for leaks and positioned the crew's seats for launch.

NASA reported at 9:04 a.m. that the Dragon hatch had closed after communications checks. Its 10:10 a.m. update continued to target liftoff at 11:10 a.m. The launch had not occurred when this report was prepared.

Weather remains under observation until the final minutes. NASA has identified cloud and precipitation rules among the key concerns. Unfavourable weather or a technical issue could change the launch time.

If the mission proceeds as planned, the four crew members will reach the station today and spend about six months there. They are expected to carry out scientific investigations, technology work and station maintenance. Kutryk will also participate in Canadian research related to human health.

Born in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Kutryk has worked as an engineer, fighter pilot and test pilot. He was selected for the Canadian Space Agency's astronaut corps in 2017.

The mission is another chapter in Canada's long-standing participation in the International Space Station. Whether the launch succeeds can be confirmed only after NASA's next official update.