Source: Fortune
Summary
SpaceX launched four astronauts, including Jessica Watkins, on a mission to the International Space Station. The flight, delayed for three weeks, was the fastest to date, taking just eight hours. Watkins became the first Black woman to lead a crew to orbit. The mission, named Crew-13, included a Canadian astronaut whose wife will give birth during his stay. SpaceX also launched multiple satellites and a Falcon rocket later the same day.
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The numbers tell one story.
SpaceX’s Dragon capsule had a fuel leak, delaying the launch. The crew included a first-time Black female commander. The flight was the quickest to the ISS. A Canadian astronaut will become a father while in space. SpaceX launched multiple rockets and satellites the same day.
One sentence that reframes the situation: The space industry is moving fast, but the human stories behind the missions are still the same.
Author: Evan Null
SpaceX’s Latest Mission
SpaceX launched four astronauts on a mission to the International Space Station. The flight was delayed for three weeks due to a leaking fuel system in the Dragon capsule. The crew included Jessica Watkins, who became the first Black woman to lead a crew to orbit. The mission, named Crew-13, was the fastest to the ISS, taking just eight hours.
Astronauts and Their Stories
Among the crew was Canada’s Joshua Kutryk, whose wife will give birth during his six-month stay. NASA has promised support for the family. The mission also included Luke Delaney, a retired Marine, and Sergey Teteryatnikov, a former submariner. They will replace four astronauts who have been at the ISS since February.
References to Apollo 13
The mission’s name, Crew-13, pays homage to the Apollo 13 moon mission. The crew rode in black Teslas with license plates reading “Lucky 13.” They also carried a crocheted golden dragon named Lucky with a four-leaf clover. Watkins joked that they were “four of the luckiest humans on or off planet Earth.”
Historical Precedents
NASA has previously connected astronauts with their families during births. In 2004, Mike Fincke was linked to his wife’s delivery. In 2009, Randy Bresnik called his wife from orbit. However, Austrian astronaut Franz Viehbock was not informed of his daughter’s birth until the next day in 1991.
SpaceX’s Growing Momentum
SpaceX is launching multiple rockets and satellites. After Crew-13, the company launched a Falcon rocket with over 100 mini satellites. Another Falcon was set to launch later that night with a classified satellite. This comes after the successful test flight of the Starship, marking another milestone for the company.
