MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. – NASA and SpaceX successfully launched the Crew-11 mission from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, and the spacecraft is now en route to the International Space Station (ISS).
The four-person crew—NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and Oleg Platonov of Roscosmos—boarded SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft ahead of liftoff on a Falcon 9 rocket at 11:43 a.m. EDT.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES – AUGUST 1: Crew-11 mission astronauts walk out of the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building before heading to pad 39A for launch to the International Space Station (ISS) at the Kennedy Space Center on August 1, 2025 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov (L-R), NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, NASA astronaut and mission commander Zena Cardman, and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui will live and work aboard the ISS for at least six months. (Photo by Paul Hennessy/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Stay tuned below for real-time updates throughout the event:
Crew-11 astronauts launch on Falcon 9 rocket from Florida
11:43 a.m. | SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket has lifted off carrying four Crew-11 astronauts to the International Space Station.
Dragon spacecraft is a ‘go’ for launch; Falcon 9 fueling underway
11: 17 a.m.  | The Dragon crew spacecraft is ready for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 launch, with Falcon 9 fueling already started and second stage fueling beginning soon.
11:11 a.m. | The crew access arm has been pulled back, and soon the Dragon spacecraft’s emergency escape system will be turned on. This system lets the NASA SpaceX Crew-11 astronauts safely get away if something goes wrong from the time the Falcon 9 rocket takes off until they reach space, which takes about 12 minutes.  After that, they will start loading fuel into the rocket.
Crew-11 astronauts arrive at launch site at the Kennedy Space Center
9:58 a.m.| With communication checks finished, the hatch on the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is now sealed.
9 a.m. | Crew-11 astronauts have arrived at the launch site and have boarded the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
8:33 a.m. | The likelihood of favorable launch weather has dropped from 75% to 60%, according to SpaceX.
8:20 a.m. | The Crew-11 astronauts have suited up and are headed to Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center.
8:13 a.m. | Officials will hold a brief meeting at 9:43 a.m. to discuss any potential weather concerns ahead of liftoff.
7:54 a.m. | The astronauts are suiting up in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Crew-11 launch time
Timeline:
Liftoff is set for 11:43 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A backup opportunity is available on Saturday.
The launch was originally planned for Thursday afternoon but was called off T-minus one minute before liftoff due to cloud cover, violating weather safety criteria.
What is the weather forecast for the Crew-11 launch?
What we know:
The likelihood of favorable launch weather has dropped from 75% to 60%, according to SpaceX.
FOX 35 Storm Team Meteorologist Jessica Dobson said as the sea-breeze begins to kick in and move inland, it typically helps produce clouds initially and eventually showers/storms.Â
The exact placement of the clouds will be crucial for the launch, and it won’t be an entirely cloudy or overcast sky.Â
What is the purpose of the Crew-11 mission?
Big picture view:
Once aboard the ISS, the team will spend about six months conducting scientific experiments, running technology demos, and preparing for future exploration — including the Moon and beyond. Their work supports both life on Earth and future human missions into deep space.
The mission will mark the next exciting chapter in NASA and SpaceX’s partnership to support long-duration human spaceflight and cutting-edge research in low-Earth orbit.
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Crew-11 is the 11th crew rotation mission of SpaceX’s human space transportation system and its 12th flight with astronauts, including the Demo-2 test flight, to the space station through NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by NASA and SpaceX.