# SpaceNexus Daily, Wednesday, September 30, 2026: Crew-13 targets October 1 launch from Cape Canaveral

> Crew-13 is scheduled to launch no earlier than October 1 on a SpaceX Falcon 9, with Transporter 18 and Falcon Heavy's NROL-97 also on the schedule.

- Canonical page: https://spacenexus.us/briefing/2026-09-30
- This Markdown version: https://spacenexus.us/briefing/2026-09-30.md
- Data as of: published 2026-09-30 17:49 UTC; records from 2026-09-29 17:33 UTC to 2026-09-30 17:33 UTC
- How the numbers are made: https://spacenexus.us/methodology#ai-content

## About this edition

- AI-generated briefing, AI voice. This briefing is AI-generated: an AI model wrote the script from SpaceNexus records and the sources listed, two independent AI passes checked every claim against those records and the web, and an AI voice reads it. No sponsor, advertiser or partner has any part in it.
- How it was checked: All 27 claims in the script were checked one by one against the SpaceNexus records listed below, by two independent AI fact-checkers that did not write it, one of them also searching the web; every number, date and time was matched to the records by code. It publishes only if every claim passes.

## Transcript

This is SpaceNexus Daily, for Wednesday, September 30, 2026.

### Space stocks and money

On September 29, the SpaceNexus Pure-Play Index of space stocks fell 2.7 percent, with 7 companies up and 27 down. The largest gain was Creotech Instruments, up 5.2 percent, and the largest decline was Sidus Space, down 9 percent. Varda Space Industries raised $251 million in a Series D round, according to PR Newswire. Via Satellite reported that Umbra promoted Ashley Durmer to COO.

Sources: [SpaceNexus Pure-Play Index (Yahoo Finance daily close)](https://spacenexus.us/markets-daily); [SpaceNexus Pure-Play Index (Yahoo Finance daily close)](https://spacenexus.us/company-profiles/creotech-instruments); [SpaceNexus Pure-Play Index (Yahoo Finance daily close)](https://spacenexus.us/company-profiles/sidus-space); [PR Newswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/varda-announces-251-million-series-d-to-scale-space-based-pharmaceutical-processing-302893651.html); [Via Satellite](https://www.satellitetoday.com/people/2026/09/29/umbra-promotes-ashley-durmer-to-role-of-coo/)

### Crew-13 launch

Crew-13 is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral SFS no earlier than 15:10:06 UTC on October 1. Launch Library 2 lists the status as go for launch.

Sources: [Launch Library 2](https://spacenexus.us/launch/cmoc46rf5iuo110zh5t8c1c7a)

### More launches ahead

Two more SpaceX launches are listed. Transporter 18, a dedicated rideshare, is scheduled for Vandenberg no earlier than October 1, and Falcon Heavy's NROL-97 is scheduled from Kennedy Space Center no earlier than October 2.

Sources: [Launch Library 2](https://spacenexus.us/launch/cml5wsu4s006qdx9fu1zgq222); [Launch Library 2](https://spacenexus.us/launch/cmtsveqpj1r6cdt04ghz8b5p7)

### New Glenn added to NLS II

New Space Economy reported that on September 29, NASA formally added Blue Origin's New Glenn 9×4 launch service to the NASA Launch Services II contract, known as NLS II. According to NASA's contract release, it makes the service available to the Launch Services Program at Kennedy Space Center.

Sources: [New Space Economy](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2026/09/30/what-does-nasas-addition-of-new-glenn-9x4-to-its-launch-services-contract-mean/)

### FCC open meeting

The Federal Communications Commission holds an open meeting on Wednesday, September 30. According to the Federal Register notice, the Commission will consider a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to overhaul its National Environmental Policy Act rules.

Sources: [Federal Register](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/09/29/2026-19920/sunshine-act-open-commission-meeting-wednesday-september-30-2026)

### Jobs board

The SpaceNexus jobs board lists 9,905 open roles as of September 30, 3,600 of them posted in the last 7 days.

Sources: [SpaceNexus jobs board](https://spacenexus.us/jobs)

Full details and sources are at spacenexus.us.


## Sources

- [SpaceNexus Pure-Play Index (SpaceNexus Pure-Play Index (Yahoo Finance daily close))](https://spacenexus.us/markets-daily)
- [Creotech Instruments (CRI.WA) (SpaceNexus Pure-Play Index (Yahoo Finance daily close))](https://spacenexus.us/company-profiles/creotech-instruments)
- [Sidus Space (SIDU) (SpaceNexus Pure-Play Index (Yahoo Finance daily close))](https://spacenexus.us/company-profiles/sidus-space)
- [Varda Space Industries funding (PR Newswire)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/varda-announces-251-million-series-d-to-scale-space-based-pharmaceutical-processing-302893651.html)
- [Ashley Durmer, Umbra (Via Satellite)](https://www.satellitetoday.com/people/2026/09/29/umbra-promotes-ashley-durmer-to-role-of-coo/)
- [Falcon 9 Block 5 | Crew-13 (Launch Library 2)](https://spacenexus.us/launch/cmoc46rf5iuo110zh5t8c1c7a)
- [Falcon 9 Block 5 | Transporter 18 (Dedicated SSO Rideshare) (Launch Library 2)](https://spacenexus.us/launch/cml5wsu4s006qdx9fu1zgq222)
- [Falcon Heavy | NROL-97 (Launch Library 2)](https://spacenexus.us/launch/cmtsveqpj1r6cdt04ghz8b5p7)
- [What Does NASA’s Addition of New Glenn 9×4 to Its Launch Services Contract Mean? (New Space Economy)](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2026/09/30/what-does-nasas-addition-of-new-glenn-9x4-to-its-launch-services-contract-mean/)
- [Sunshine Act; Open Commission Meeting Wednesday, September 30, 2026 (Federal Register)](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/09/29/2026-19920/sunshine-act-open-commission-meeting-wednesday-september-30-2026)
- [SpaceNexus jobs board (SpaceNexus jobs board)](https://spacenexus.us/jobs)

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