UNF alumnus Astronaut Luke Delaney in flight to International Space Station

The University of North Florida community cheered on campus and around the globe today as alum Luke Delaney launched into space from Cape Canaveral, Florida, as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission. 

UNF’s interim President Angela Falconetti and Executive Vice President and Provost Karen Patterson watched the launch from a special viewing area at NASA. 

“UNF alumnus and pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission Luke Delaney is a shining inspiration to the University community he orbits over today,” Falconetti said. “Watching the launch from the stands was the thundering thrill of a lifetime for me as UNF president and for Provost Karen Patterson. Your Osprey family wishes you a successful mission and happy landings, Luke!” 

In UNF’s Science and Engineering building, dozens of students, faculty and staff gathered to watch the launch. One of Delaney’s former mechanical engineering professors joined the party. 

“Luke was great to have in class,” said Dr. Alexandra Schonning. “He was always pleasant, sharp and well prepared, an all-around good student. It’s joyful and emotional to watch because Luke is an inspiration for our students. It’s nice to see our Ospreys fly high.” 

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will arrive at the International Space Station around 7 p.m. tonight where the crew will begin a long-duration science mission. On board are NASA astronauts Delaney, who earned a mechanical engineering degree from UNF in 2006, and Jessica Watkins, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov.  

After arriving at the International Space Station, the crew members will conduct a brief handover with the astronauts currently there, part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission, which is expected to begin its return to Earth around Monday, Oct. 5.   

“I really hope this inspires our students in physics, engineering, biology and other sciences that they too can end up working for NASA and possibly piloting a mission to space one day,” said Dr. Jack Hewitt, physics professor and chair, who brought his wife and nine-year-old daughter to watch the launch together on campus.  

For more than 25 years, people have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies that enable us to prepare for human exploration of the Moon and Mars. 

Delaney grew up in DeBary, Florida, near Cape Canaveral, where he was inspired by space flights from an early age. Delaney enlisted in the Marine Corps after high school and served for 22 years as a distinguished naval aviator. In addition to his UNF bachelor's degree, he also holds a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.  

After retiring from the Marine Corps in 2020, he transitioned to NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, as a research pilot and aerospace engineer. He was selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in 2021. 

Read more about how NASA is training and hiring UNF students through the NASA pathways internship program and other collaborations at  https://www.unf.edu/newsroom/2026/03/NASA-Day.html.  

Follow along with mission updates from NASA at https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/crew-13/.