Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Crew-11 consists of NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Oleg Platonov of Russia's space agency Roscosmos. Crew-11 astronauts walk out of the Neil A. Armstrong Operations & Checkout Building at Kennedy Space Center on July 31, 2025 ahead of their launch. From left to right: Oleg Platonov (Roscosmos), Mike Fincke (NASA), Zena Cardman (NASA) and Kimiya Yui (JAXA). A launch attempt that day was scrubbed due to weather. (Image credit: NASA) This will be the first spaceflight for Crew-11 commander Cardman, who was originally scheduled to launch on the Crew-9 mission. Cardman was removed from that mission because Crew-9 ended up launching to the International Space Station (ISS) with only two astronauts on board in order to make room for NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on the return trip. The duo were left without a dedicated ride home after the Boeing Starliner spacecraft that ferried them to the ISS on its first crewed test flight in June 2024 encountered leaks and propulsion issues. Fincke will be making his fourth trip to space on Crew-11 while serving as pilot, having previously flown three space shuttle missions to the ISS. As the most experienced spaceflyer, Fincke said he's looking forward to seeing the reactions of his crewmates, two of whom are making their first trip to orbit. "I remember how moving it was, and how breathtaking it was for me, and I want to share their joy in that," Fincke previously told Space.com. Crew-11 marks the second spaceflight for mission specialist Kimiya Yui of Japan, who previously spent 142 days on the ISS during Expedition 44/45 in 2015. During that mission, Yui helped construct laboratory equipment in Japan's Kibo science module. Rounding out the crew is Russia's Oleg Platonov, who is making his first trip into space and serving as mission specialist. Once their spacecraft is docked safely on the ISS and the hatch is opened, the four Crew-11 astronauts will begin relieving the members of SpaceX's previous mission for NASA, Crew-10. Crew-11 docking is currently scheduled for 3 a.m. ET (0700 GMT) on Saturday (Aug. 2). NASA overlaps astronaut missions to the ISS as part of the agency's routine crew rotation in order to maintain a continuous presence on the space station. The Crew-10 and Crew-11 astronauts will overlap for about a week to ensure a smooth handover of science experiments and responsibilities, maintenance tasks and station operations. Related Stories: