A few hours ago, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Grace spacecraft docked with the Harmony module of the International Space Station, completing the first part of its Crew-13 or SpaceX Crew-13 mission that began with its launch about 8 hours earlier. After checking that the pressure is properly balanced, the hatch will be opened to allow Jessica Watkins, Luke Delaney, Joshua Kutryk, and Sergey Teteryatnikov to enter the Station and start their mission.
The Crew Dragon spacecraft is equipped with an automated docking system to the International Docking Adapter (IDA). The approach procedure, with safety as the top priority, has been extensively tested during previous missions of the Crew Dragon spacecraft.
The Crew-13 mission crew joins Expedition 75 and is composed of:
Jessica Andrea Watkins. Born on May 14, 1988, in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Environmental and Geological Sciences from Stanford and a Ph.D. in geology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). During her Ph.D. research, she participated in work connected to the Mars Rover Curiosity mission while also working at NASA’s Ames Research Center and NASA’s JPL programs connected to various space missions. In 2017, she was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA. In 2019, she participated in the NEEMO 23 submarine mission. She previously served on the Station during the Crew-4 mission, part of Expeditions 67 and 68, between April and October 2022.
Luke Delaney. Born on August 25, 1979, in Miami, Florida (USA), he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1998 as a naval aviator and test pilot. He began working for NASA in 2020, participating in various scientific and experimental missions connected to atmospheric science and air traffic management. He was selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in 2021. This is his first space mission.
Joshua Kutryk. Born on March 21, 1982, in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada, he earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) in Kingston in 2004. He subsequently obtained a master’s degree in space studies from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (2009), a master’s degree in flight test engineering from Air University (2012), and a master’s degree in defence studies from the Royal Military College of Canada (2014). He served in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a pilot, including as a test pilot. In 2017, he was selected as an astronaut candidate by the Canadian Space Agency. This is his first space mission.
Sergey Aleksandrovich Teteryatnikov. Born on December 19, 1988, in Uspenovka, in the then-USSR and Russia, he graduated as an engineer specializing in naval power systems in 2011 from the N.G. Kuznetsov Naval Academy, part of the Russian Navy’s Military Educational and Scientific Center. He served in the Russian Navy. In 2021, he was selected as a cosmonaut candidate. This is his first space mission.
The journey of the Crew Dragon Grace spacecraft was successful, albeit about two weeks later than originally scheduled. A problem with a valve in the propulsion system required repairs. Grace’s arrival at the International Space Station set a record for NASA, as its journey took less than eight hours.
