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Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk’s first thought after being told Thursday that he had made it into space was one of disbelief.
“I still don’t really believe it,” Kutryk said after being told the crew was in orbit, about 10 minutes after blasting off from Florida as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew 13 mission to the International Space Station.
“It feels weird though.”
The 44-year-old is a mission specialist on the four-person crew, which also includes commander Jessica Watkins and pilot Luke Delaney – both from NASA – and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov, another mission specialist.
NASA says the Crew 13 mission had the fastest flight ever to the International Space Station, taking just under eight hours to reach the facility.
After another two hours or so of docking procedures, Kutryk and his crewmates emerged from a hatch and were greeted with hugs and handshakes by the seven people aboard the station.
Speaking during a short welcoming ceremony, Kutryk expressed his disbelief at finally being on the space station and said it was great to represent Canada there again.
“I’m looking forward to a good mission after some sleep. That’s what I’m going to do next,” he said on the NASA broadcast.
The crew is expected to spend six months on the station conducting experiments, conducting research and participating in critical maintenance work.
Kutryk also faces a unique situation during his months-long deployment to Earth – his wife is set to give birth to their third child.
The space station is a long way from the Alberta cattle ranch where Kutryk grew up. Before takeoff, Kutryk said the crew members felt like “some of the luckiest people on Earth.”
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly watched the launch from the ground. It was the first she had ever visited.
“It was absolutely fantastic,” Joly said with a smile at the Kennedy Space Center. “It’s also a very humbling experience because ultimately we are very, very small humans in an extremely large universe.”
Joly said the launch provides an important symbol of international cooperation during “tense geopolitical times”.
“When it comes to space, I think this is a place where we can collaborate and cooperate,” she said. “That’s what we did.”
Cooperation on space innovation has continued despite US President Donald Trump’s tariffs and continued threats of annexation.
Joly has been on the front lines of Trump’s trade war with Canada, first as foreign minister and now in her current portfolio, where she is tasked with reducing many of the tariff effects.
She met with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman for about 30 minutes Thursday. She said they talked about how the Canadian Space Agency can contribute to exploration, especially of the Moon and Mars.
Joly said she always talks about the importance of ending the trade war when she meets members of the Trump administration and other American politicians.
At a post-launch news conference, Isaacman said he had fruitful discussions with Canada, particularly about a future moon base. Pointing to the well-known Canadarm and its follow-up Dextre, Isaacman said Canada’s robotics expertise will play an important role in helping America achieve its lofty ambitions in space.
“We aim for it as part of the architecture,” he said.
Kutryk’s mission adds to an unforgettable year for Canadian space exploration and research.
Canadian Jeremy Hansen was one of four astronauts aboard the Artemis II mission in April – man’s first trip to the moon in more than 50 years. The 10-day lunar flight saw Hansen and his crewmates travel further from Earth’s surface than anyone before them.
Mathieu Caron, director of astronautics, life sciences and space medicine at the Canadian space agency, told Thursday’s news conference that for the first time in his three-decade career, his kids think he’s cool.
“Across Canada, we’re really seeing a renewed enthusiasm for human space exploration,” Caron said.
Joly said Canada is looking to further push its space capabilities by diversifying space partnerships and working more closely with the European and Japanese space industries, as well as other middle power countries.
But Ottawa wants to do things faster and with more ambition, she added.
Joly said Canada’s defense industrial plan recognizes the importance of the space sector and new funds have been dedicated to the Canadian Space Agency. She said Canada needs to embrace the industrial side of space investment to create domestic jobs, while also doubling down on science and civilian research.
A new president for the Canadian space agency is expected to be named in the coming weeks, Joly said. A new space strategy would also be unveiled in the coming months, promoting Canada’s goals of creating opportunities, playing a bigger role in the sector and sending more astronauts from Earth, she added.
“I think space exploration is important to our country,” she said.
“We also benefit from the various researches done… for our industry, to create jobs, but also to protect our sovereignty and also when it comes to science and the improvement of humanity.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on October 1, 2026.
