How to watch the SpaceX Crew-13 launch live
NASA's SpaceX Crew-13 mission is set to launch a Crew Dragon to the International Space Station in mid-September 2026. Here's where to watch the crewed liftoff live, how to see the time in your own timezone, and who's flying.
Live coverage details · kept current with the schedule
1. When is the Crew-13 launch?
Crew-13 is targeted for no earlier than mid-September 2026, launching on a Falcon 9 with a Crew Dragon from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. NASA moved the flight up from November to keep its astronaut rotation to the station steady. Crewed launches use a precise, often instantaneous window — if it scrubs, it typically slips at least a day — so the time is confirmed close to launch. The live schedule shows it in your local timezone with a countdown.
2. Where to watch it live
Crewed launches get the most generous coverage of any mission:
- NASA+ and the NASA YouTube channel — the main broadcast, with hours of pre-launch coverage: crew wake-up, suit-up, the walkout, and the drive to the pad.
- SpaceX — the Crew Dragon feed on X (@SpaceX) and YouTube, focused on the rocket, the ascent, and the booster landing.
On launch day we surface the official webcast — and embed the YouTube player when available — on the launch's page here. For a crewed flight it's worth joining an hour or more before liftoff to catch the walkout and the final go/no-go.
3. Who's on board
Crew-13 carries four astronauts to the station for a roughly six-month stay, joining Expedition 75:
- Jessica Watkins (NASA) — commander. A geologist who previously flew on Crew-4 in 2022.
- Luke Delaney (NASA) — pilot. A former U.S. Marine Corps naval aviator and test pilot.
- Joshua Kutryk (CSA) — mission specialist. A Canadian fighter and test pilot.
- Sergey Teteryatnikov (Roscosmos) — mission specialist.
It's the 13th operational crew rotation of NASA's Commercial Crew Program — the routine, reliable cadence that keeps the ISS staffed.
4. What makes a crewed launch different
A Crew Dragon launch carries things a satellite flight doesn't: a launch-escape system that can pull the capsule clear in an emergency, a fully suited crew, and an extra-cautious go/no-go that weighs weather not just at the pad but along the entire ascent and at the splashdown zones. That's why crewed flights scrub more readily than cargo runs — and why watching the countdown is its own kind of tense fun.
5. Want to see it from the Space Coast?
A crewed liftoff is a bucket-list sight. If you're near Kennedy Space Center — or planning a trip — our in-person viewing guide covers the best public spots around Titusville, Cocoa Beach and the Indian River, when to arrive, and what to bring. You can also check whether the launch is visible from your location.
Gear that makes a launch worth the trip
For in-person viewing, a little magnification turns a distant flame into a real rocket — and helps you follow the booster back to the Cape.
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