NASA is gearing up for the launch of SpaceX’s Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), with liftoff scheduled for 12:09 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 31, from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission is part of NASA’s ongoing collaboration with commercial partners to maintain human presence aboard the ISS.
The Crew-11 team includes NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. They will travel aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft for a long-duration science mission on the ISS. Docking is expected around 3 a.m. on Saturday, August 2.
NASA will provide live coverage of all key events, including prelaunch briefings, the launch itself, and post-launch updates. Viewers can watch on NASA+, YouTube, and select streaming platforms including Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Key mission coverage dates include:
- July 26, 1 p.m.: Crew arrival at Kennedy Space Center.
- July 30, 5:30 p.m.: Prelaunch press briefing with officials from NASA, SpaceX, JAXA, and Roscosmos.
- July 31, 8 a.m.: Launch coverage begins.
- July 31, 12:09 p.m.: Scheduled launch time.
- July 31, 1:30 p.m.: Postlaunch press conference.
- August 2, 1 a.m.: Arrival coverage resumes.
- August 2, 3 a.m.: Targeted docking to the ISS.
- August 2, 4:45 a.m.: Hatch opening.
- August 2, 5:30 a.m.: Crew welcome ceremony.
This mission marks the 11th crew rotation under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and continues efforts to support science aboard the ISS. Since 2020, the Dragon spacecraft has played a crucial role in ferrying astronauts as part of the agency’s renewed focus on commercial spaceflight.
For more information and updates, visit NASA’s official website or follow NASA and partner agencies on social media using #Crew11.
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