21 Crew-11 launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, is scrubbed because of weather, on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025. NASA astronauts Michael Fincke and Zena Cardman, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, will have to wait for better weather before their trip to the International Space Station. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) Expand A Falcon 9 rocket topped with the Crew Dragon Endeavour lifted off from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A at 11:43 a.m. carrying NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov to space. “I have no emotions but joy right now. That was absolutely transcendent — ride of a lifetime,” said Cardman, making her first trip to space. “Boy, it’s great to be back in orbit again,” added Fincke, a veteran of three previous missions. “Thank you to SpaceX and NASA to get us here. What a ride.” The first-stage booster made its third flight and touched back down for what was SpaceX’s final use of Landing Zone 1 at nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station sending a sonic boom across the Space Coast. The quartet shot through a break amid darkening clouds and into space. The previous day, they had their launch scrubbed with one minute and seven seconds on the countdown clock when a storm cell opened up right over the pad. They actually had to put on raincoats over their spacesuits as they made their way out of the capsule for what turned out to be just a one-day delay. The quartet, who arrived to KSC on Saturday, were back Friday getting prepped for launch, donning their spacesuits after 7 a.m. at the Neil Armstrong Operations & Checkout Building. They made their walkout after 8 a.m. to ride over to launch pad in black Teslas with license plates that read “Live,” “Laugh” and “Launch.” By 9 a.m. the had made their way up the launch tower to climb back on board their spacecraft. With an hour to go, all were prepped in their seats with the hatch closed awaiting fueling and arming of the launch escape system. Crew-11 member and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman waves to loved ones during the walk out to their launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) Left to Right, Crew-11 members: Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov; NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Michael Fincke; and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, walk out on their way to their launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) NASA astronaut Zena Cardman waves sitting aside NASA astronaut Mike Fincke as they drive out in their black Tesla to Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39-A on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025. (Richard Tribou/Orlando Sentinel) JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui waves sitting aside Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov as they are driven to Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39-A on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025. (Richard Tribou) Crew-11 member and NASA astronaut Michael Fincke, talks with loved ones during the walk out to their launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) Crew-11 member and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman talks with loved ones during the walk out to their launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) Crew-11 members Front Row, Left to Right, NASA astronauts Michael Fincke and Zena Cardman, Back Row, Left to Right, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, walk out on their way to their launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) Left to Right, Crew-11 members NASA astronauts Michael Fincke and Zena Cardman talk with loved ones during the walk out to their launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) Crew-11 members NASA astronauts Michael Fincke and Zena Cardman, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, walk out on their way to their launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) Crew-11 member and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman talks with loved ones during the walk out to their launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) Crew-11 member and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman talks with loved ones during the walk out to their launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) Crew-11 member and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman talks with loved ones during the walk out to their launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) Left to Right, Crew-11 members: Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov; NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Michael Fincke; and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, walk out on their way to their launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) Crew-11 members Front Row, Left to Right, NASA astronauts Michael Fincke and Zena Cardman, Back Row, Left to Right, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, walk out on their way to their launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) The three Teslas carting the Crew-11 crew drive by the Vehiicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center on their way to Launch Pad 39-A on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Richard Tribou/Orlando Sentinel) NASA Administrator Sean Duffy arrives to greet the departing Crew-11 members NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Michael Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, on their walk out to their launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) NASA Administrator Sean Duffy arrives to greet the departing Crew-11 members NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Michael Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, on their walk out to their launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) NASA Administrator Sean Duffy arrives to greet the departing Crew-11 members NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Michael Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, on their walk out to their launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) NASA Administrator Sean Duffy arrives to greet the departing Crew-11 members NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Michael Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, on their walk out to their launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) The SpaceX Crew-11 crew walks out of the Neil Armstrong Operations & Checkout Building at Kennedy Space Center ahead of driving to Launch Pad 39-A for their mission to the International Space Station on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (NASA) Crew-11 launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, is scrubbed because of weather, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. NASA astronauts Michael Fincke and Zena Cardman, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, will have to wait for better weather before their trip to the International Space Station. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) Crew-11 launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, is scrubbed because of weather, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. NASA astronauts Michael Fincke and Zena Cardman, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, will have to wait for better weather before their trip to the International Space Station. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) Crew-11 launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, is scrubbed because of weather, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. NASA astronauts Michael Fincke and Zena Cardman, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, will have to wait for better weather before their trip to the International Space Station. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) Crew-11 launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, is scrubbed because of weather with one minute and seven seconds left on the clock, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. NASA astronauts Michael Fincke and Zena Cardman, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, will have to wait for better weather before their trip to the International Space Station. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) NASA astronaut Nick Hague and commentator Derrol Nail express frustration after realizing the SpaceX Crew-11 launch attempt was scrubbed with one minute, seven seconds on the countdown clock Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Richard Tribou/Orlando Sentinel) Show Caption