DEBARY, Fla. — A Central Florida native who once watched rockets light up the sky is now preparing to help lead one into orbit.
Luke Delaney, a DeBary native, is set to pilot NASA’s Crew 13 mission to the International Space Station, marking his first trip to space and a major milestone for the region he still calls home.
For Delaney, the journey began just miles from the launch pads of the Space Coast, where frequent rocket launches helped spark his early interest in science and aviation.
That curiosity eventually led him through a career in the Marine Corps and into the cockpit as a distinguished naval aviator, before being selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in 2021.
He will be one of four astronauts heading to the International Space Station as part of Expedition 75. The mission will involve roughly six months in orbit, during which the crew will conduct hundreds of scientific experiments and test new technologies designed to support future deep-space exploration.
Crew 13 also reflects a broader shift at NASA, which is working to increase mission frequency as it prepares for upcoming lunar operations.
Each launch builds toward the agency’s long-term goal of returning astronauts to the Moon and eventually sending humans deeper into space.
For Central Florida, Delaney’s flight represents more than just another launch. It is a full-circle moment, connecting the region’s long history of space exploration with a new generation of astronauts inspired by the same skies.
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