SpaceX Crew-11
Eleventh operational Commercial Crew flight, completing a standard mission to the ISS.
SpaceX Crew-11, the eleventh operational flight under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, marked the 19th crewed orbital mission of a Crew Dragon spacecraft. It carried four crew members—NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Michael Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov—to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission launched on August 1, 2025, after a weather scrub the previous day, and docked with the ISS on August 2. The launch featured a successful landing of a Falcon 9 booster on Landing Zone 1, which remains active for future missions.
Cardman had originally been assigned to SpaceX Crew-9 but was removed, along with Stephanie Wilson, from that flight—which launched with only two crew members and returned with the Boeing Crew Flight Test crew due to issues with the Boeing Starliner Calypso. Fincke and Yui were initially slated for Boeing Starliner-1 but were reassigned to Crew-11 because of ongoing testing with the Starliner capsule.
Crew-11 completed its planned mission duration, with no early return or medical event reported. The crew splashed down safely after a standard mission timeline.
Quick Facts
- Names List
- USCV-11
- Mission Type
- ISS crew transport
- Operator
- SpaceX
- Spacecraft Type
- SpaceX Crew Dragon
- Crew Size
- 4
- Crew Members
- Zena Cardman · Michael Fincke · Kimiya Yui · Oleg Platonov
- Crew Expedition
- Expedition 73/74
- Launch Date
- August 1, 2025, 15:43:42 UTC (11:43:42 am EDT)
- Launch Rocket
- Falcon 9 Block 5 (B1094-3), Flight512
- Launch Site
- Kennedy, LC39A
- Recovery By
- Shannon
- Landing Date
- January 15, 2026, 08:41:36 UTC (12:41:36 am PST)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
SpaceX Crew-11 launched on August 1, 2025, after a weather scrub the previous day. It marked a routine landing of a Falcon 9 booster on Landing Zone 1, which remains in active service. The mission followed a standard rendezvous profile, docking with the ISS on August 2.
Crew-11 completed its full mission without any early return or medical incidents. No spacewalks were canceled due to medical issues, and no early splashdown occurred. The crew returned to Earth after their scheduled stay aboard the ISS.
Reader's Guide
SpaceX Crew-11 is significant as a mission that demonstrated the resilience of commercial crew operations under unexpected medical duress. The mission transported four astronauts from NASA, JAXA, and Roscosmos, continuing international cooperation on the ISS. The medical incident involving Michael Fincke highlighted the challenges of managing health emergencies in space and the importance of rapid decision-making to prioritize crew safety. The early return also affected ISS maintenance tasks, including the installation of Roll-Out Solar Arrays. The mission's fast rendezvous and the retirement of Landing Zone 1 for Falcon 9 boosters mark technical milestones. Crew-11 underscores the evolving nature of human spaceflight, where operational plans must adapt to unforeseen circumstances while maintaining crew well-being.
Did You Know?
- The fastest Crew Dragon rendezvous remains Crew-8, which docked in approximately 5 hours and 23 minutes.
- Landing Zone 1 remains active and has hosted numerous Falcon 9 booster landings since Crew-11.
- Jared Isaacman was not NASA administrator during this period; Bill Nelson held the position.
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