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A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule reached the International Space Station in just 7 hours and 55 minutes on October 1, 2026, setting a new American record for the fastest crewed flight to the orbiting laboratory. The mission, designated Crew-13, beat the previous U.S. benchmark of 12 hours and 33 minutes and underscored how orbital mechanics, not just rocket power, dictate travel time to the ISS.
How Crew-13 Set the New US Record
The Dragon capsule, named Grace, launched from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A at 11:10 a.m. EDT and docked to the Harmony module at 7:05 p.m. EDT. The previous American record was set by a cargo Dragon, CRS-31, in November 2024 at 12 hours 33 minutes; the prior crewed record was Crew-11's 14 hours 43 minutes in 2025. SpaceX official Julianna Scheiman said the speedy arrival was 'close to the fastest it could be' due to favorable orbital phasing.
Why does travel time to the ISS vary?
The ISS orbits about 400 km (250 miles) above Earth at roughly 28,000 km/h. A capsule must match the station's altitude, inclination and phase, so planners choose between a two-orbit ultrafast profile, a four-orbit fast track, or a slower ~34-orbit two-day approach. Each extra orbit adds time but provides margin to correct errors. This flight benefited from unusually favorable alignment, allowing a shorter path.
Meet the Crew-13 Astronauts
The four-person crew relieving Crew-12 includes:
- Jessica Watkins (NASA, commander) — first astronaut to fly a Crew Dragon twice
- Luke Delaney (NASA, pilot) — first spaceflight
- Joshua Kutryk (Canadian Space Agency) — first spaceflight
- Sergey Teteryatnikov (Roscosmos) — first spaceflight
The NASA commercial crew program has now flown 13 operational Crew Dragon missions. This flight was delayed three weeks by a leak in the fuel supply system, but the launch proceeded safely once the issue was resolved.
Still Behind Russia's 2020 Soyuz Record
Despite the U.S. milestone, the absolute fastest trip to the ISS remains Russia's Soyuz MS-17, which docked in 3 hours 3 minutes on October 14, 2020, using a two-orbit 'ultrafast' rendezvous. The U.S. record of 7 hours 55 minutes is still more than double that time.
| Mission | Spacecraft | Travel time | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soyuz MS-17 | Roscosmos Soyuz | 3 hr 3 min | 2020 |
| Crew-13 | SpaceX Crew Dragon | 7 hr 55 min | 2026 |
| CRS-31 | SpaceX Cargo Dragon | 12 hr 33 min | 2024 |
Fatherhood, Apollo 13, and the Next Six Months
Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk is expecting his third child while in orbit; his wife is due around November, making this the fourth time an astronaut has become a parent during a spaceflight. The mission emblem features a golden luck dragon, a nod to the Apollo 13 mission's golden horse and a tribute to that 1970 'brilliant failure' in which NASA safely returned its crew after an in-flight explosion.
During their roughly six-month stay, the crew will study stem cell treatments for Parkinson's disease, investigate space crop production, and test new medical diagnostic equipment. Crew-12 is expected to depart the station in the coming days, clearing a docking port for an upcoming cargo delivery.
FAQ: SpaceX Crew-13 ISS Record Flight
How fast did SpaceX Crew-13 reach the ISS?
Crew-13 docked in 7 hours and 55 minutes, the fastest U.S. crewed flight to the ISS.
What is the fastest time any spacecraft has reached the ISS?
Russia's Soyuz MS-17 reached the station in 3 hours and 3 minutes on October 14, 2020.
Who is Joshua Kutryk?
He is a Canadian Space Agency astronaut on his first spaceflight, expecting his third child during the mission.
Why was the Crew-13 launch delayed?
The launch was postponed three weeks due to a leak in the fuel supply system.
How long will Crew-13 stay on the ISS?
The crew is scheduled to remain aboard for about six months.
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