Jessica Watkins leads Crew-13 mission to the ISS

The Crew-13 mission launched from Cape Canaveral aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule, destined for the International Space Station (ISS) for a six-month stay. The mission is historic as geologist Jessica Watkins becomes the first Black woman to lead a space mission.

The crew includes pilot Luke Delaney, Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. The launch followed a delay caused by a technical issue involving a faulty valve in the Dragon capsule's propulsion system, which required replacement to ensure crew safety.

The transit to the ISS took eight hours, setting a new record for the fastest flight of an American spacecraft to the station.