No astronauts have launched from the US in 6 months. Crew-13 is next
NASA and SpaceX are preparing for the Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station, marking the first U.S.-based launch in six months. The mission will transport a diverse crew of four astronauts to the orbital outpost for a multi-month research stay.
Why it matters
This mission signals a return to regular crewed flight operations from U.S. soil, which is critical for maintaining a continuous human presence on the ISS.
Six months have elapsed since any astronaut has reached space following a rocket launch on U.S. soil.
As of April 1, the four astronauts who traveled around the moon on NASA's historic Artemis II mission were the most recent spacefarers to leave Earth behind following a liftoff in Florida.
Now, that's due to change with the launch of a mission known as Crew-13. The venture, a joint undertaking between NASA and tech mogul Elon Musk 's SpaceX, will send the next crew of astronauts for a stint at the International Space Station .
Two Americans, one Canadian and one Russian are prepared to embark for a multi-month stay at the iconic orbital outpost, where they'll live and work while orbiting about 250 miles above Earth.
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