Astronauts arrive at ISS on quickest US express flight yet

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, October 4, 2026

Four astronauts—commander Jessica Watkins, Luke Delaney, Joshua Kutryk, and Sergey Teteryatnikov—arrived at the ISS after a record-setting eight-hour flight aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. This mission marks the fastest U.S. transit to the station and features Watkins as the first Black woman to lead a crew into orbit, while Kutryk faces a personal milestone as his wife is expected to give birth during his six-month stay.

Four astronauts arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on October 3, completing a record-setting journey that marked the fastest U.S. transit to the orbiting laboratory. The mission, launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, was conducted by SpaceX on behalf of NASA.

The crew consisted of commander Jessica Watkins, NASA astronaut Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Sergey Teteryatnikov from Russia. Their flight to the ISS lasted approximately eight hours, setting a speed record for any American spaceflight to date.

The launch had been postponed for three weeks due to issues with a leaking fuel system in the Crew Dragon capsule. On the day of liftoff, thick clouds threatened to delay the mission again but cleared sufficiently to allow a successful launch in the late morning.

Watkins, a geologist who contributed to NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity mission, made history as the first Black woman to lead a crew into orbit. This mission marks her second trip to the ISS, following an extended stay in 2022. During launch, Watkins expressed her gratitude by radioing, "Thanks for an amazing ride." The other members of the crew were all first-time space travelers. Delaney is a retired U.S. Marine, Kutryk serves as a colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force, and Teteryatnikov is a former Russian submariner.

Notably, Kutryk’s wife is expected to give birth while he is on the mission, adding a personal milestone for the Canadian astronaut during his six-month stay in orbit.

The incoming crew will replace four astronauts who have been aboard the ISS since February. This mission represents the 13th crew rotation launched by SpaceX for NASA, excluding a test flight that took place in 2020. The crew’s mission patch features the designation Crew-13, which pays tribute to Apollo 13, the 1970 lunar mission that ended with a safe return after an in-flight crisis.

The ISS’s position in orbit at the time of launch contributed to the rapid transit, allowing the astronauts to reach the station faster than any previous U.S. mission. Their arrival continues the ongoing international effort to maintain and operate the orbiting research facility.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.