Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk takes off for International Space Station
Alberta-born astronaut begins his first space mission aboard SpaceX’s Crew-13, joining an international crew for approximately six months of research and work in orbit
By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi & Emmanuel Ayiku for GhanaianNewsCanada
October 1, 2026
Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk has reached space for the first time, beginning a nearly six-month mission aboard the International Space Station after successfully launching from Florida on Thursday.
Kutryk, a 44-year-old Canadian Space Agency astronaut from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, was one of four crew members aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft when it lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 11:10 a.m. Eastern Time.
The Crew-13 mission is carrying Kutryk alongside NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov.
About 10 minutes after launch, the crew reached orbit, with Kutryk expressing disbelief at finally achieving a lifelong ambition.
“I don’t really believe it yet,” Kutryk said after being told that the spacecraft had successfully reached orbit.
A historic mission for Canada
Kutryk’s journey marks an important milestone for Canada’s space program.
The mission is the first time a Canadian Space Agency astronaut has flown as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which uses privately operated spacecraft to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station.
The Canadian Space Agency says Kutryk is the fourth Canadian astronaut to undertake a long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station.
With his launch, Canada has now sent 11 astronauts on 19 space missions.
Kutryk will spend approximately six months living and working aboard the orbiting laboratory.
During that time, he will participate in scientific research, conduct experiments and help test technologies designed to improve the ability of humans to live and work in space.
From Alberta to orbit
Kutryk’s route to space began in Alberta.
Before becoming an astronaut, he served in the Royal Canadian Air Force, where he was a CF-18 fighter pilot.
He later worked as an experimental and operational test pilot at the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment in Cold Lake, Alberta.
His academic background includes mechanical engineering and advanced degrees in space studies, flight test engineering and defence studies. He is also a graduate of the United States Air Force Test Pilot School in California.
Kutryk was selected as a Canadian Space Agency astronaut in 2017.
Nearly a decade later, he has finally made the journey he had spent years preparing for.
An international crew
Kutryk is travelling with three other first-time spacefarers, alongside mission commander Jessica Watkins.
Watkins is an experienced NASA astronaut who previously spent 170 days aboard the International Space Station in 2022.
She is also making history on the Crew-13 mission as the first NASA astronaut to launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft for a second time.
Luke Delaney, the mission’s pilot, is a former naval aviator and test pilot.
Sergey Teteryatnikov, representing Russia’s Roscosmos space agency, is also making his first trip to the space station.
The four astronauts will work together as part of the broader Expedition 75 crew already aboard the station.
A mission focused on human health and science
The Crew-13 mission is designed to support scientific research and operations aboard the International Space Station.
The station provides researchers with a unique microgravity environment for studying how the human body responds to long periods away from Earth.
Canadian participation in the station program has contributed to research into areas including balance problems, osteoporosis, cardiovascular health and other effects of microgravity.
Kutryk will also help test new technologies and conduct experiments during his stay.
The Canadian Space Agency says the research conducted aboard the station can contribute to technologies and knowledge that have applications on Earth as well as future deep-space missions.
Canada prepares for the next era of space exploration
Kutryk’s mission comes at a time when Canada is expanding its role in human space exploration.
Canada recently participated in Artemis II, the historic lunar mission that carried the first Canadian astronaut to travel around the Moon.
The International Space Station remains an important part of that broader effort because it allows scientists and astronauts to study the challenges of living and working in space before longer missions to the Moon and eventually beyond.
The Canadian Space Agency describes the station as an important stepping stone for future human exploration of deep space.
Canada has also developed internationally recognized expertise in space robotics and vision systems, building on technologies used aboard the station.
The agency says those capabilities have generated commercial applications, including robotic tools for neurosurgery, breast-cancer detection and telesurgery.
A personal challenge during the mission
Kutryk’s journey also carries a deeply personal dimension.
His wife is expecting to give birth to the couple’s third child while he is in space.
That means Kutryk will experience one of the most important moments in his family’s life from approximately 400 kilometres above Earth.
The unusual circumstance has attracted attention because of the personal sacrifice involved in spending months away from his family while carrying out an important national and scientific mission.
Kutryk has nevertheless spoken about his excitement at representing Canada and inspiring young people to take an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
He brought a family heirloom into space
Kutryk also carried a more than 100-year-old pocket watch with him aboard the spacecraft.
The watch has been passed down through his family and carries particular significance because of his Ukrainian-Canadian heritage.
He has described it as a reminder of his family’s history and how far both his family and humanity have travelled.
The heirloom will now spend part of its history in orbit alongside its owner.
The journey to the station
Although the Crew-13 astronauts will spend approximately six months aboard the International Space Station, reaching the station is expected to take only about eight hours.
The mission launched after a delay from its original September schedule.
The delay was related to an issue with the Crew Dragon spacecraft’s propulsion system, which required work before NASA and SpaceX cleared the mission for launch.
Once the spacecraft arrives, Kutryk and his fellow astronauts will join the existing station crew and begin their work in orbit.
A new chapter for Canadian space exploration
For Kutryk, Thursday’s launch represents the culmination of years of military aviation, test-pilot work and astronaut training.
For Canada, it represents another step in the country’s long-running participation in human spaceflight.
The Canadian Space Agency says participation in the International Space Station program has supported highly skilled employment, scientific research and technology development across the country.
Over the past eight years alone, the agency says activities connected to the station program have supported employment and contract opportunities for almost 1,800 highly qualified personnel, involved 52 organizations and enabled 393 students to contribute to space-related research and technology projects.
As Kutryk begins his six-month stay in orbit, his mission will give Canadian researchers another opportunity to study the effects of spaceflight while contributing to the international effort to understand how humans can safely live and work beyond Earth.
For the Alberta-born astronaut who spent years preparing for this moment, the journey has finally begun.
And for Canada, Joshua Kutryk’s arrival in orbit marks another chapter in the country’s growing role in the exploration of space.
