Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk set to launch to International Space Station
Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk is preparing for a six-month mission to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX flight. The mission highlights international cooperation in space despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes between Canada and the U.S.
Why it matters
The mission serves as a symbolic bridge for international relations, demonstrating that scientific collaboration can persist even during periods of diplomatic friction.
MERRITT ISLAND — As the sun rises over Florida’s iconic Kennedy Space Center on Thursday morning, Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk will be making the final preparations to fulfil his lifelong dream of blasting off into space.
If the weather holds, the 44-year-old will be among NASA’s SpaceX Crew 13 launching at 11:10 a.m. ET to the International Space Station for a six-month mission.
From the ground, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly will be watching. It will be the first space launch she’s ever attended and Joly said it’s not lost on her that Kutryk will be on board with a Russian and two Americans.
“It’s happening at a time where there is this trade war going on, there is geopolitical tensions,” Joly said at nearby Cocoa Beach on Wednesday. “I think it’s important that we are able to show that we can co-operate as human beings on space exploration.”
Also covering this story
8 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
SpaceX is ‘go’ to launch NASA’s Crew-13 astronaut mission to the ISS on Oct. 1
Watch Live: NASA’s Crew-13 could make the fastest U.S. trip to the ISS ever
New space station crew launches from Florida on SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule
SpaceX launches Crew-13: 4 Nasa astronauts to study human health on ISS for 6 months
SpaceX describes surgical intervention before launch of latest crew mission
NASA’s Crew-13 set for liftoff on long-duration space mission
SpaceX Starship engine failure could hit NASA moon mission plans
Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk is in 'high spirits' for Thursday's launch to the International Space Station
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in