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SpaceX Crew-13 astronauts dock at ISS less than 8 hours after launch in fastest American flight ever
Space • • general
Key Points:
- SpaceX's Crew-13 mission set a new American record by reaching the International Space Station (ISS) in 7 hours and 55 minutes, the fastest U.S. spacecraft transit to date.
- The previous U.S. record was 12 hours and 33 minutes, held by SpaceX's Dragon cargo capsule during the CRS-31 resupply flight in November 2024.
- The rapid transit was due to favorable orbital positioning and mission timing, described by NASA and SpaceX officials as nearly the fastest possible launch-to-docking time.
- Despite this U.S. record, the overall fastest trip to the ISS was by a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in May 2020, which docked in just 3 hours and 3 minutes using a more aggressive flight trajectory.
- Crew-13 delivered four astronauts from NASA, the Canadian Space Agency, and Roscosmos, who will conduct research and operations aboard the ISS for six months.
