SpaceX Plans Falcon 9 Crew-11 Launch with Multinational ISS Astronauts

SpaceX is preparing several significant missions to the International Space Station (ISS) including the upcoming launch of the Crew-11 mission carrying three NASA astronauts, a JAXA astronaut, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, scheduled for late July or early August. This Crew Dragon flight will mark the 11th crew rotation mission under NASA's Commercial Crew Program and includes first-time space travelers Zena Cardman and Oleg Platonov. Alongside crewed missions, SpaceX plans to launch a Falcon 9 rocket with a Cargo Dragon spacecraft carrying thousands of pounds of scientific supplies to the ISS, featuring a new propulsion system designed to boost the space station's orbit as part of the ISS Deorbit Vehicle development for end-of-life orbital decay around 2030-2031. Meanwhile, Northrop Grumman's Cygnus resupply mission NG-22, which was to launch on a Falcon 9, has been delayed indefinitely due to damage sustained during transport. Additionally, the ISS currently hosts a seven-member crew including astronauts and cosmonauts from NASA, Roscosmos, and JAXA, as well as four tourists from the Axiom Space mission who arrived in June for a two-week stay. These activities underscore ongoing international cooperation in maintaining and utilizing the ISS for scientific research and human spaceflight.