Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk set for SpaceX Crew 13 launch to ISS

The Story

Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk is making final preparations for his launch to the International Space Station, with the countdown scheduled for 11:10 a.m. ET on Thursday, if the weather holds.

Kutryk, 44, will be among NASA’s SpaceX Crew 13 departing from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a six-month mission aboard a spacecraft bound for the ISS.

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said she would be watching from the ground near Cocoa Beach, calling the flight a chance for Canada to demonstrate cooperation despite ongoing geopolitical tensions. Speaking on Wednesday, Joly referenced the trade war involving the United States and Canada and said she believes space exploration is an area where countries can continue to work together.

Joly said she is scheduled to meet NASA administrator Jared Isaacman while she is in Florida for the launch, and she described the ISS as a symbol of international cooperation, pointing to Canada’s robotics contributions to the station, including Canadarm and Dextre.

Mathieu Caron, director of astronauts, life sciences and space medicine at the Canadian Space Agency, said during NASA’s prelaunch news conference on Wednesday that the agency’s focus throughout its decades of work on the ISS has been the safety of the crew and success of the mission.

Caron said Canadian Space Agency members spoke with Kutryk earlier Wednesday and that the astronaut was in high spirits and ready for launch. During the mission, Kutryk will take part in long-term Canadian research projects and will also help document new science on how the human body responds to space travel.

Caron said Kutryk will also face a personal milestone during his time off Earth, with his wife set to give birth to the family’s third child. The Canadian Space Agency and NASA, Caron said, are working to provide support for Kutryk, including video calls with his family.

“These are exciting times,” Caron said at the news conference.