NASA and SpaceX Crew-13 Astronauts Enter Preflight Quarantine Ahead of October Launch

The four crew members of NASA's SpaceX Crew-13 mission entered routine prelaunch quarantine late Thursday at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, ahead of a targeted early October launch to the International Space Station.

The multinational crew consists of NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. Under quarantine protocols established during the Apollo Program, the crew will limit in-person contact to prevent preflight illnesses. Most interactions are required to take place remotely, while family members and essential mission personnel must pass medical screenings before meeting in person.

Prior to entering quarantine, the crew finished training at SpaceX's facility in Hawthorne, California, and completed a Crew Equipment Interface Test at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. During the daylong interface exercise, the crew suited up, entered the Dragon spacecraft, tested for suit leaks, checked seat fits, and conducted communications checks while becoming accustomed to operational spacecraft sounds.

Upon arrival at the International Space Station, the Crew-13 members will join Expedition 75. During their stay aboard the orbital outpost, they are scheduled to conduct scientific experiments intended to advance research for future Moon and Mars missions and support technological developments on Earth.

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