Official Crew-13 portrait, not a launch-day photograph. From left: Sergey Teteryatnikov, Luke Delaney, Jessica Watkins and Joshua Kutryk. Photo: NASA / Bill Stafford / Wikimedia Commons. U.S. public domain.
Reference date: September 30, 2026. Weather outlook issued September 29.
Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk and his Crew-13 crewmates have completed a launch rehearsal as NASA continues to target October 1 for their flight to the International Space Station. A weather outlook published Tuesday gives the launch a 60 per cent chance of favourable conditions.
NASA’s September 29 weather update, citing the U.S. Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron, identifies cumulus clouds and flight through precipitation as the main concerns. Liftoff remains scheduled for no earlier than 11:10 a.m. EDT Thursday from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
What has changed since the preview
In a separate September 29 update, NASA said the four crew members put on their spacesuits, completed air-leak checks, travelled to the launch pad and entered the Dragon spacecraft during a dry dress rehearsal.
That adds a completed prelaunch milestone to the mission outlined in NorthScope’s September 28 preview. The forecast concerns weather suitability; it does not guarantee that the launch will take place. As of this report, the mission remains in its prelaunch phase.
When to follow the launch
The current target translates to 8:10 a.m. PDT in Vancouver, 9:10 a.m. MDT in Alberta, 11:10 a.m. EDT in Toronto and Ottawa, 12:10 p.m. ADT in Halifax, and 12:40 p.m. NDT in St. John’s on October 1. Readers should check NASA’s Crew-13 mission page for changes before making viewing plans.
Why the mission matters for Canada
The Canadian Space Agency says this will be the first flight by a Canadian astronaut under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Kutryk is expected to spend approximately six months aboard the station, conducting experiments and testing technologies.
NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins is the mission commander, Luke Delaney is the pilot, and Kutryk and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov are mission specialists, according to NASA’s mission overview. It will be Kutryk’s first spaceflight.
What happens after arrival
NASA says Crew-12 will help the arriving astronauts get familiar with ongoing science and station maintenance during a brief handover. Crew-12’s departure and return to Earth will follow, subject to weather conditions.
Sources and reporting method
This follow-up draws on NASA’s September 29 weather and rehearsal updates, its mission overview, and the Canadian Space Agency’s Crew-13 mission page, linked above. Launch timing and weather forecasts can change.
Prepared with AI assistance from the public documents linked above. This article contains no on-scene reporting or independent interviews.
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