NASA and SpaceX have rolled the Crew-13 mission out to the launch pad and completed a static fire test ahead of a planned October 1 lift-off, keeping the mission on track.

The Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule were moved to Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida before the brief engine test.

Static fire tests, in which the rocket’s engines are briefly ignited while it is held down, are a routine final check before crewed missions. Engineers pore over the data to confirm every system is ready for flight.

Crew-13 will carry a fresh team of astronauts to the International Space Station for a long-duration stay, continuing the regular rotation of station crews.

If the schedule holds, launch will take place on October 1, subject to final reviews and favourable weather at the Cape. The mission continues the steady cadence of crew rotations that keeps the station permanently occupied.