Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk, raised on a cattle farm in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, is stepping into a six‑month mission aboard the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew 13.

Kutryk, 44, will launch from Kennedy Space Center as early as September, joining US astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov for the ISS expedition.

This mission marks Kutryk’s first spaceflight and Canada’s first long‑duration ISS stay in more than seven years, continuing the nation’s active participation in international space exploration.

The crewed mission is framed as both a practical stepping stone for future deep-space exploration and a symbolic beacon for Canada within the Artemis program and the path toward a sustained lunar presence.

The current SpaceX Dragon flight plan replaces a previously delayed Boeing Starliner schedule, aligning Kutryk with the Dragon launch timeline.

Kutryk is married with two young children and expecting a third; he emphasizes strong communication with family and a robust support network to manage the separation.

Over six months, Kutryk’s duties will include maintaining ISS operations, repairing equipment and pumps, and conducting a range of scientific experiments in areas like disease modelling, blood flow disorders, and space agriculture.

Canadian-led studies will explore space travel and microgravity effects on human health, with potential Earth applications in treating heart disease and osteoporosis, alongside routine ISS maintenance.

The mission places a Canadian-led focus on health in space, paired with ongoing hardware maintenance and research activities aboard the station.

CSA official Mathieu Caron notes Canada’s growing life-sciences niche in space, with Kutryk contributing robotics expertise aboard the station.

Kutryk speaks to Canada’s bright future in space, highlighting opportunities for more Canadian astronauts, engineers, and scientists and energizing public interest in space.

The mission reinforces Canada’s long-standing involvement in international space exploration as its astronauts undertake a high-profile, sustained presence aboard the ISS.