NASA and SpaceX successfully launched and docked the Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on October 1, 2026, setting a new U.S. record for the fastest launch-to-docking transit at seven hours and 50 minutes.

The rapid arrival of the Crew Dragon spacecraft, named “Grace,” initiates an expedited handover with the departing Crew-12 astronauts, according to a NASA press release. The accelerated schedule is required to clear the Harmony module’s forward port for an upcoming cargo mission delivering critical solar arrays to the orbital outpost.

Record transit and expedited handover

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, utilizing first-stage booster B1101.3, lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 11:10 a.m. EDT on October 1, 2026. The Crew Dragon spacecraft docked autonomously to the forward port of the ISS Harmony module at 7:05 p.m. EDT. The seven-hour and 50-minute journey established a new U.S. spacecraft record for the fastest transit from launch to docking.

The hatch opened at 9:19 p.m. EDT, allowing the Crew-13 astronauts to enter the station and join Expedition 75. The multinational crew includes NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins, serving as Commander, and Luke Delaney, serving as Pilot. They are joined by Mission Specialists Joshua Kutryk of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and Sergey Teteryatnikov of the State Space Corporation ROSCOSMOS (Roscosmos).

Crew-13 is another demonstration of America’s unmatched capability in human spaceflight and the strength of our commercial partnerships.

The statement from NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman accompanied the docking announcement, noting that the crew will build experience and capabilities required for future lunar missions.

Scientific objectives for Expedition 75

Once integrated into the ISS crew, the Crew-13 astronauts will conduct a variety of scientific experiments during their rotation. The research portfolio includes studies on human stem-cell derived tissues aimed at advancing treatments for heart disease and Parkinson’s disease.

Dana Weigel, Manager of the Low Earth Orbit Program at the NASA Johnson Space Center, outlined the operational focus for the incoming crew.

They also will explore crop production, which is important for longer-duration spaceflight missions, help us better understand blood flow abnormalities that we see in space, and test new diagnostic medical equipment for monitoring crew health.

These experiments are designed to support long-duration spaceflight capabilities while providing data applicable to medical treatments, disease modeling, and pharmaceutical testing on Earth.

Commercial Crew Program cadence and upcoming cargo operations

The Crew-13 launch marks the 13th operational commercial crew rotation flown by Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) for NASA. The mission utilizes refurbished hardware, with the Crew Dragon “Grace” flying its second mission following its debut on the Axiom-4 private astronaut flight. The Falcon 9 booster previously supported the Crew-12 launch and a Starlink mission.

The rapid transit time and expedited handover process are driven by orbital logistics and upcoming hardware deliveries. The ISS Harmony module’s forward port must be vacated to accommodate the SpaceX CRS-35 Cargo aircraft mission scheduled for later in the fall of 2026. The CRS-35 Dragon will deliver the final set of ISS Roll-Out Solar Arrays (iROSAs). NASA requires these arrays to arrive and be installed before beta angle cutouts restrict the ability to conduct spacewalks.

To facilitate this schedule, the departing Crew-12 astronauts will conclude their mission shortly after the handover. The Crew-12 roster includes NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.

Crew-12 is scheduled to undock from the ISS on October 5, 2026. The spacecraft is expected to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California on October 6, 2026, concluding their rotation and clearing the docking port for the CRS-35 arrival.

Stratolaunch has acquired a Boeing 777-200ER to serve as its third carrier aircraft, increasing the company’s hypersonic flight test capacity by 35 percent to meet growing defense and commercial demand.

In a press release issued on September 30, 2026, the Mojave, California-based company confirmed the aircraft will undergo extensive modifications to launch its autonomous, reusable Talon-A hypersonic test vehicles. The fleet expansion aims to address the critical bottleneck in flight-test throughput for high-speed aerospace systems.

Expanding the carrier fleet for Talon-A

The addition of the Boeing 777-200ER marks a significant operational scale-up for Stratolaunch. The company utilizes carrier aircraft to transport the Talon-A test vehicles to high altitudes before air-launching them, effectively using the carrier as a reusable first stage. This method allows for flexible launch locations and rapid turnaround times compared to traditional ground-based rocket launches.

Prior to this acquisition, the Stratolaunch fleet consisted of two primary carrier aircraft. The first is “Roc,” a custom-built, twin-fuselage aircraft that holds the record for the largest wingspan of any flying aircraft. The second is “Spirit of Mojave,” a modified Boeing 747-400. The integration of the Boeing 777-200ER will provide a proven, widely supported commercial airframe to the lineup.

Stratolaunch expects to complete the necessary engineering modifications to the Boeing 777-200ER by 2027. These modifications will enable the aircraft to carry and release the Talon-A vehicles from its fuselage.

“Adding the reliability of a Boeing 777 aircraft to our fleet enhances our flight flexibility and strengthens our long-term capacity as we work to provide the nation and our customers with the test cadence needed to accelerate hypersonic innovation. We look forward to operationalizing the aircraft and expanding our capability to serve customers at the scale and speed required to address hypersonic national security needs.”

Zachary Krevor, President and CEO of Stratolaunch, stated that the company is building the operational scale required to make routine hypersonic testing a reality for customers globally.

Scaling operations to meet defense testing bottlenecks

The US defense sector has increasingly prioritized hypersonic testing capacity over the past several years. The Department of Defense has identified flight-test throughput as a critical limitation in fielding operational hypersonic capabilities. This backlog has driven substantial demand for commercial testbeds like the Talon-A, which can simulate hypersonic flight conditions for various payloads and materials without requiring scarce government launch infrastructure.

Stratolaunch has secured significant government backing to provide these services. In February 2026, the company announced a $90.8 million contract award under the Department of War Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed (MACH-TB) program. The contract funds the use of the Talon-A platform to accelerate the testing and evaluation of hypersonic technologies.

The company has demonstrated consistent technical progress leading up to the fleet expansion. In July 2026, Stratolaunch announced it had surpassed 10 successful hypersonic flights with its Talon-A platform, validating the reusability and aerodynamic performance of the vehicle.

Financial momentum and potential public offering

Stratolaunch operates as a non-traditional defense contractor and has undergone significant corporate evolution since its founding in 2011 by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and Scaled Composites founder Burt Rutan. Following Allen’s death, the company was acquired by Cerberus Capital Management in 2019, which pivoted the firm’s focus from space launch to hypersonic flight testing.

The acquisition of the Boeing 777-200ER follows a period of aggressive financial structuring. In January 2026, Stratolaunch completed a major capital raise, bringing in Elliott Investment Management as a new partner alongside Cerberus Capital Management. According to statements released at the time, the capital was specifically earmarked to expand hypersonic production and flight capabilities.

According to reporting by Briefs Finance in September 2026, Stratolaunch is currently considering a US initial public offering (IPO). The outlet reported that the company could raise up to $500 million, targeting a valuation between $2 billion and $3 billion. Stratolaunch has not officially confirmed the IPO plans.

AirPro News analysis

The acquisition of a conventional, widely available airframe like the Boeing 777-200ER signals a strategic shift for Stratolaunch from bespoke engineering to scalable, repeatable operations. While the custom-built Roc remains an engineering marvel and a highly capable heavy-lift platform, maintaining and operating a one-of-a-kind aircraft presents unique supply chain and maintenance challenges. By integrating a Boeing 777-200ER, Stratolaunch gains access to a global supply chain of spare parts, certified maintenance personnel, and established operational procedures.

As the US government seeks to clear the backlog of hypersonic testing, Stratolaunch is positioning itself not just as a niche aerospace developer, but as a high-cadence utility provider for national security programs. The timing of this fleet expansion also aligns closely with the reported IPO preparations. Demonstrating tangible physical growth and a 35 percent increase in flight capacity provides a compelling narrative of scale and revenue potential to public market investors.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and The Boeing Company have established a revised flight schedule for the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, targeting an uncrewed test flight in late 2026 and a crewed mission in 2028 while initiating a transition to a new launch vehicle.

Announced in a press release on September 28, 2026, the updated development plan outlines Boeing’s recovery path following the 2024 Crew Flight Test mishap. The strategy includes hardware modifications to the spacecraft, a re-designation of upcoming flights, and the certification of the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket for future human spaceflight missions.

Revised flight schedule and hardware modifications

NASA and Boeing are targeting a launch window of December 2026 or January 2027 for the uncrewed Starliner-1 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). This flight will serve to validate recent thermal modifications and gather performance data before astronauts are placed back on board.

Historically, Starliner-1 was intended to be the first operational crewed mission following the initial test flights. The re-designation reflects the uncrewed nature of the next flight following the 2024 anomalies.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that the agency is starting with an uncrewed mission to validate spacecraft improvements and gather necessary flight data.

“From there, we will use what we learn, continue implementing the corrective actions identified by our Program Investigation Team, and complete the testing and certification required for crewed flight,” Isaacman said.

Following the uncrewed test, the agencies are targeting 2028 for the crewed Starliner-2 mission. NASA astronaut Warren “Woody” Hoburg has been assigned as the commander for this flight.

Addressing the 2024 Crew Flight Test anomalies

The revised schedule follows the 2024 Crew Flight Test, which was classified as a Type A mishap. During that mission, the spacecraft experienced significant technical issues with its service module reaction control thrusters.

The official investigation concluded that the thrusters operated outside their engineering qualification due to a combination of thermal environment factors and design features, resulting in a loss of control during the flight. The spacecraft ultimately returned to Earth uncrewed. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams remained safely on the ISS, though their stay was extended by nine months due to the propulsion failures.

In February 2026, the NASA Program Investigation Team released 61 recommendations to address the technical issues. To meet these requirements, Boeing has implemented thermal modifications to the service module and an additional thruster valve design modification to address poppet seal extrusion. The spacecraft will also receive new crew module thrusters, updated batteries, and minor modifications to the parachute system.

Transitioning to the Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle

A critical component of the updated Starliner program is the transition to a new launch vehicle. The spacecraft currently relies on the ULA Atlas V rocket, which is out of production. ULA, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing, has only six Atlas V rockets remaining in its inventory. All six are allocated to Boeing for Starliner missions.

To ensure the spacecraft has a launch vehicle for missions beyond the initial contract, NASA, Boeing, and ULA will work to certify the new Vulcan Centaur rocket for human spaceflight. The Vulcan Centaur is currently undergoing its own certification processes to replace the Atlas V.

Maintaining redundancy in low Earth orbit

The recovery of the Starliner program remains a priority for NASA as it seeks to maintain two independent commercial crew transportation providers. Currently, Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) and its Crew Dragon spacecraft serve as the only operational U.S. vehicle capable of ferrying astronauts to the ISS.

To support this goal, NASA and Boeing have modified the Starliner contract to add resources for human spaceflight certification and restore the fifth and sixth Starliner missions, which were previously made options.

According to reporting by Spaceflight Now, Dana Weigel, NASA Manager of the Low Earth Orbit Program, emphasized the necessity of this redundancy. “It’s always been the Commercial Crew Program’s goal to have two crew transportation providers to ensure commercial access to low Earth orbit,” Weigel said.

Weigel also noted in the NASA release that the next flight is a critical step toward full system certification. She stated that the agency will test the propulsion system through targeted demonstration objectives and disciplined operational controls, prioritizing the safety of the space station crew and the public.

AirPro News analysis

The decision to insert an uncrewed flight before resuming crewed operations underscores the severity of the 2024 anomalies and the extensive engineering work required to satisfy the 61 recommendations from the Program Investigation Team. The re-designation of the flights, shifting Starliner-1 from an operational crewed mission to an uncrewed test, reflects a necessary reset of the program’s baseline.

Tying the Starliner program’s long-term viability to the human-rating certification of the Vulcan Centaur introduces parallel development risks. If Vulcan certification encounters delays, Boeing’s ability to fulfill its commercial crew obligations beyond the remaining six Atlas V rockets could be constrained. This scenario would leave NASA reliant on a single provider as the ISS approaches its planned 2030 retirement and the agency looks toward future commercial space stations.