SpaceX has successfully completed a static fire test of the Falcon 9 rocket. The engines operated for their full planned duration while the vehicle remained secured at the launch site, confirming its readiness for the upcoming Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station.
The launch is scheduled for October 1 at 11:10 AM Eastern Time from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral, with a backup window on October 2 at 10:47 AM. The mission utilizes a first-stage booster making its third flight, following previous deployments for Crew-12 and a Starlink mission. The booster is slated to land at the LZ-40 zone after separation.
The Crew Dragon capsule, previously used for the Ax-4 mission, will carry NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and cosmonaut Sergey Teteriyatnikov. The crew will conduct long-term research on the ISS to support future deep-space exploration.
The mission was originally slated for September 12 but was delayed due to an oxidizer leak in the Crew Dragon propulsion system. The postponement allowed for necessary repairs and additional testing to ensure the safety of the spacecraft.
