NASA SpaceX Crew-13 mission: launch Nov 2026 — crew + how to watch live
NASA SpaceX Crew-13 launches Nov 2026 on Falcon 9 + Crew Dragon to ISS. 4 crew (NASA + partners), 6-month science mission. NASA+ live stream, ~29-hour docking.
NASA SpaceX Crew-13 launches no earlier than November 2026 (exact date TBD pending NASA + SpaceX final readiness review) on a Falcon 9 rocket + Crew Dragon spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center LC-39A. The mission sends 4 crew members to the International Space Station (ISS) for a 6-month science expedition. Crew-13 is the 13th operational crew rotation under NASA's Commercial Crew Program and follows the March 2026 Crew-12 launch.
This article covers: launch window, crew profile, mission objectives, how to watch the launch live, the science experiments planned for the 6-month stay, and how Crew-13 fits into NASA's broader ISS deorbit + commercial space station transition.
When does NASA SpaceX Crew-13 launch?
NASA SpaceX Crew-13 launches no earlier than (NET) November 2026, with the exact date contingent on Falcon 9 booster readiness, Crew Dragon fleet rotation, and ISS docking window availability. NASA's Commercial Crew Program typically confirms a launch date ~4-6 weeks before the mission.
| Mission phase | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crew-13 launch | NET November 2026 | Falcon 9 + Crew Dragon from LC-39A |
| Crew Dragon docking with ISS | ~29 hours after launch | Autonomous docking to IDA port |
| Hatch opening + welcome ceremony | ~2 hours after docking | Live on NASA+ |
| Expedition duration | ~6 months | Until ~May 2027 |
| Crew-13 return to Earth | NET May 2027 | Splashdown off Florida coast |
Why NET (No Earlier Than): SpaceX and NASA typically under-promise on launch dates — NET gives a 2-4 week cushion for weather, technical issues, and ISS schedule conflicts. The actual launch date is usually 2-6 weeks later than the NET date, but for crewed missions, NASA is more conservative (most Crew Dragon missions launch within 2 weeks of the NET date).
Most likely launch windows for Crew-13:
- Primary: November 2026 (early-to-mid)
- Backup: December 2026 (if ISS schedule slips)
- Backup: January 2027 (if SpaceX booster swap needed)
Who are the Crew-13 astronauts?
Crew-13 will launch 4 astronauts: 2-3 NASA astronauts + 1-2 international partner astronauts (ESA, JAXA, or CSA). The crew composition follows NASA's standard Commercial Crew rotation pattern.
While specific names are pending official NASA announcement, the crew composition pattern across recent Crew Dragon missions:
| Mission | NASA | ESA | JAXA | CSA | Roscosmos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew-10 (Mar 2025) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Crew-11 (Aug 2025) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Crew-12 (Mar 2026) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Crew-13 (Nov 2026 expected) | 2-3 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0 |
Why this mix matters: International partner astronauts (ESA, JAXA, CSA) rotate based on bilateral agreements with NASA. Each agency funds its own astronaut seats on Commercial Crew missions. CSA (Canadian Space Agency) typically gets 1 seat per ~4 missions due to Canada's contribution of the Canadarm2 robotic arm to ISS.
Crew Dragon spacecraft for Crew-13: The 4 active Crew Dragon capsules are Endeavour (C206), Resilience (C207), Freedom (C212), and Endurance (C210). Recent assignments:
- Crew-11 used Endeavour (reuse 4)
- Crew-12 used Freedom (reuse 2)
- Crew-13 will likely use Resilience or Endurance (whichever has completed refurbishment)
What is the Crew-13 mission profile?
Crew-13 follows the standard Commercial Crew mission profile: launch from Florida, autonomous docking with ISS, ~6-month stay, splashdown return.
| Phase | Duration | Key events |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-launch | T-4 hours | Crew suits up, ingress Crew Dragon, hatch close |
| Launch | T-0 | Falcon 9 liftoff from LC-39A |
| Ascent | ~9 minutes | Stage separation, second stage insertion |
| Dragon separation | T+12 minutes | Crew Dragon separates from second stage |
| Coast phase | ~17 hours | Orbital maneuvering, course corrections |
| Docking | T+29 hours | Autonomous docking to ISS |
| Expedition | ~6 months | Science experiments, station maintenance, EVAs |
| Return | Splashdown | Crew Dragon parachutes into Atlantic/Gulf |
Falcon 9 booster for Crew-13: Typically a new or lightly-used Falcon 9 booster (B1080-B1095 series). The booster is expendable for crewed missions — no landing attempt is made. The booster is allowed to crash into the Atlantic after stage separation to avoid any risk to crew.
What science will Crew-13 conduct on the ISS?
Crew-13 will conduct ~150-200 science experiments during their 6-month ISS expedition, focused on:
- Human health (bone density loss, muscle atrophy, vision changes in microgravity)
- Materials science (protein crystal growth, semiconductor manufacturing)
- Plant biology (growing crops in space for future Mars missions)
- Earth observation (climate, weather, disaster monitoring)
- Astronomy (cosmic ray detection, X-ray bursts)
- Technology demos (3D printing, AI assistants, water recycling)
Notable experiments for ISS Expedition 75/76 (which Crew-13 will join):
- BioNutrient — fresh vegetable production for long-duration missions
- Plant Habitat-3 — growing tomatoes in microgravity (prep for Mars)
- Cold Atom Lab升级 — colder-than-space quantum experiments
- AI Crew Assistant — testing conversational AI assistants for deep-space missions
- StemCell — stem cell growth in microgravity (cancer + aging research)
The science return from each Commercial Crew mission is published in NASA's Station Science Newsletter within 30 days of the mission's end.
How to watch the Crew-13 launch live
NASA SpaceX Crew-13 launches are streamed live on NASA+ (free), YouTube (NASA channel), and SpaceX's X (Twitter) account. Pre-launch coverage typically begins 4 hours before liftoff.
| Platform | Coverage | Free? | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASA+ (nasa.gov/plus) | Full coverage + commentary | ✅ Free | 4K HDR |
| YouTube (NASA channel) | Full coverage + commentary | ✅ Free | 4K |
| X / Twitter (SpaceX) | Live feed (less commentary) | ✅ Free | 1080p |
| Spaceflight Now (YouTube) | Independent commentary | ✅ Free | 1080p |
| NASA TV (cable/satellite) | Full coverage | Some channels | 1080p |
Pre-launch coverage timeline (typical):
- T-4 hours: Pre-launch briefing, crew ingress
- T-1 hour: Final go/no-go polls
- T-10 minutes: Crew Dragon internal power-up
- T-5 minutes: propellant load begins
- T-1 minute: Falcon 9 go for launch
- T-0: Liftoff
If launch scrubs: Weather scrubs are common (~30% of crewed launches scrub at least once). NASA will typically attempt the next day or the next available window.
Where does Crew-13 dock with the ISS?
Crew-13 docks autonomously to one of the ISS's two International Docking Adapters (IDA): IDA-2 (forward port of Harmony) or IDA-3 (space-facing port of Harmony). The Crew Dragon spacecraft handles all rendezvous and docking maneuvers without crew input — but the crew monitors and can override in emergencies.
Docking ports on ISS (2026):
| Port | Spacecraft | Adapter |
|---|---|---|
| Forward Harmony | Crew Dragon, Soyuz, Starliner | IDA-2 / IDA-3 |
| Nadir Harmony | Cygnus, Dragon, Progress | CBM |
| Aft Unity | Soyuz, Crew Dragon (backup) | IDA-2 |
| Rassvet | Soyuz, Progress | CBM |
How does Crew-13 fit into NASA's ISS transition plan?
Crew-13 launches during the final operational phase of the International Space Station, before the planned 2030 deorbit and transition to commercial space stations (Axiom Station, Vast Haven-1, Blue Origin Orbital Reef).
ISS retirement timeline (NASA plan):
- 2026-2028: Final science missions (Crew-13 to Crew-22)
- 2028: NASA selects 1-2 commercial successors for ISS retirement
- 2030: ISS deorbit (controlled re-entry over Pacific)
Why Crew-13 is significant: The ISS has been continuously inhabited since November 2, 2000 (25+ years as of Crew-13). Crew-13 will be one of the last 15-20 crews before the station's deorbit. NASA is already contracting with commercial stations to ensure continuous US presence in low-Earth orbit.
Commercial station competitors (NASA-funded):
- Axiom Station — first commercial module attached to ISS, then separates
- Vast Haven-1 — planned standalone launch 2027-2028
- Blue Origin Orbital Reef — slower timeline, late 2020s
- Northrop Grumman — concept phase
What is the cost of a Crew-13 seat?
NASA pays SpaceX ~$55-65 million per seat on Commercial Crew missions, covering launch, spacecraft, training, and return. This is a significant discount from the $80M+ NASA paid Roscosmos for Soyuz seats in the 2010s.
| Spacecraft | Cost per seat (NASA) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crew Dragon (SpaceX) | ~$55-65M | Includes Falcon 9 + Dragon + training |
| Soyuz (Roscosmos) | ~$80M (historical) | No longer used for NASA crew |
| Starliner (Boeing) | ~$90M+ (per seat) | Higher cost due to spacecraft development |
| Private astronaut (Axiom) | ~$55-70M | Same Dragon, different contract |
International partner seats: ESA, JAXA, and CSA reimburse NASA for their astronaut seats through intergovernmental agreements. The reimbursement is typically $50-60M per seat.
What's the difference between Crew-13 and Polaris Dawn?
Crew-13 is a standard ISS rotation mission (6 months in space), while Polaris Dawn (Sept 2024) was a private SpaceX mission focused on the first commercial spacewalk. Key differences:
| Mission | Duration | Crew | Spacewalk | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew-13 | 6 months | 4 (mixed agency) | No (standard EVAs only) | ~408 km (ISS orbit) |
| Polaris Dawn | 5 days | 4 (private) | ✅ Yes (first commercial EVA) | ~1,400 km (highest crewed since Apollo) |
| Crew-12 | 6 months | 4 (mixed agency) | No | ~408 km |
| Inspiration4 | 3 days | 4 (private) | No | ~585 km |
Polaris Dawn and Crew-13 use the same Crew Dragon spacecraft family, but the mission profiles are very different — Polaris Dawn is a short, high-risk spacewalk test; Crew-13 is a standard 6-month ISS science rotation.
What happens after Crew-13 returns?
Crew-13 returns to Earth via splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean (off Florida coast) or Gulf of Mexico ~6 months after launch. SpaceX's Crew Dragon is the only crewed spacecraft currently using splashdown return; Boeing Starliner uses land-based runway landing.
Post-landing recovery:
- SpaceX's recovery ship (Megan Megan or Bob) retrieves the capsule within 1 hour
- Crew is medically evaluated on the ship before helicopter transfer to land
- Crew Dragon capsule is refurbished for reuse on a future mission
Crew Dragon reuse: As of 2026, SpaceX has reused Crew Dragon capsules up to 5 times per vehicle. The same Dragon capsule typically flies ~1 mission per year after extensive refurbishment.
What is the bottom line on NASA SpaceX Crew-13?
NASA SpaceX Crew-13 launches no earlier than November 2026 on Falcon 9 + Crew Dragon to the ISS for a 6-month science expedition. 4 crew members (2-3 NASA + 1-2 international partners). The mission is one of the last ~15 before the ISS deorbit in 2030. Watch the launch live on NASA+ (free) with pre-launch coverage starting 4 hours before liftoff.
NASA confirms the exact launch date ~4-6 weeks before launch. Check NASA's Commercial Crew Program page or Spaceflight Now for the latest Crew-13 launch updates.
For related space coverage, see our SpaceX Starship test flight history 2024-2027 and SpaceX Starship Flight 14 orbital success Sept 28.
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Sources
(5 references)- [1]NASA — Commercial Crew Program overview(2026-09-15)↩
- [2]SpaceX — Crew Dragon missions overview(2026-09-15)↩
- [3]NASA Spaceflight — Crew-13 crew assignment tracker(2026-09-30)↩
- [4]NASA — International Space Station Expedition 75/76 crew(2026-09-29)↩
- [5]Spaceflight Now — Crew-12 launch retrospective(2026-03-15)↩