Spaceflight

NASA’s Crew-11 mission launches to the space station

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Greg Diesel Walck

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August 1, 2025

A rocket soaring into a partly cloudy sky with flame at the bottom. — Crew-11 launched toward the space station on August 1, 2025. Image via Greg Diesel Walck.

Update: The Crew-11 mission launched today just before 12 p.m. EDT in Florida.

Crew-11 mission set to launch on Thursday

NASAs’ Crew-11 mission is set to launch at 12:09 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 31, 2025, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Four astronauts on board will head to the International Space Station, where they plan to live and work until 2026. NASA astronaut Zena Cardman will lead the mission, flying alongside fellow astronaut Mike Fincke. Japan’s (JAXA) astronaut Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov complete the four-person crew.

Cardman and Platonov are going to space for the first time. Yui will be returning to space for the second time and Fincke for the fourth time. Fincke has the most distinguished record of the group and formerly held the American record for the most time in space (382 days), until Scott Kelly broke it in 2015. NASA moved this mission up from its previously scheduled August launch window to create more room for the following Cargo Dragon (CRS-33) mission.

Watch the launch in the player above. Video via NASA/ YouTube.

New records

When the Crew Dragon Endeavour capsule rockets into space on Thursday, it will be on its record 6th flight. It has previously flown Demo-2, Crew-2, Axiom-1, Crew-6 and Crew-8. In order to have a 6th flight, the Dragon capsule had to go through a recertification.

A capsule atop a standing rocket with an arm extending out to it from a gantry. — A SpaceX Dragon Crew capsule – with access arm – at Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. Image via Greg Diesel Walck.

25th anniversary

The Crew-11 mission will have the distinction of being onboard when the International Space Station reaches 25 years of operations in October 2025. NASA astronaut Fincke, who helped construct the space station during the shuttle era, remarked:

I remember when the space station was just pieces here on the ground.

Crew-11 mission: 4 people in blue uniforms stand by a sign with their names on it in front of an airplane. — The 4 crew members of NASA’s Crew-11 mission arrived at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Shuttle Landing Facility on July 26, 2025. EarthSky photographer Greg Diesel Walck covered the group after their plane arrived to NASA KSC in Florida.

Bottom line: After a one day weather delay the Crew-11 mission launced to the International Space Station on Friday, Aug 1, 2025. Read more about the mission and watch the launch here.

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August 1, 2025

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Spaceflight

Greg Diesel Walck

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About the Author:

Greg Diesel Walck - EarthSky's spaceflight photographer - has been fascinated with space and weather since the age of 3. He has gone from hand writing letters to NASA in elementary school to being a part of the U.S. News Media at Kennedy Space Center to cover launches and technology. After a 30-year career in optical/vision technologies, he moved to Florida in 2019 and became a full time photographer, videographer and drone pilot.