Weather Delays SpaceX Crew-11 ISS Launch Again

SpaceX's Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station was postponed just over a minute before liftoff due to a cumulus cloud breaching safety thresholds at Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center. The crew—NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov—were inside the Dragon Endeavour spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket when the launch was scrubbed. NASA and SpaceX plan to try again on Friday, with backup launch opportunities over the weekend, as weather conditions at the pad and along the flight path are being closely monitored. The Crew-11 mission is SpaceX's eleventh operational ISS crew rotation under NASA's Commercial Crew Program and is set for a minimum six-month stay. The astronauts will conduct scientific research, technology demonstrations, ISS maintenance, and will support future Artemis lunar missions. The mission underscores ongoing international cooperation on the ISS despite geopolitical tensions.