NASA selects Crew-11 for SpaceX mission to space station

On March 28, 2025, NASA revealed the composition of Crew-11, set to participate in a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) through SpaceX. This mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than July from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew features NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, with Cardman serving as the commander and Fincke as the pilot. Additionally, it includes Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, marking a significant international collaboration in space exploration. Zena Cardman, aged 37, is on her first spaceflight after being selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017. She was reassigned from Crew-9, where her seat was adjusted due to other astronauts needing to return sooner. Mike Fincke, 58, an experienced astronaut with 382 days in space, will now fly with Crew-11 instead of the previously planned Boeing Starliner-1. Cardman’s trip is particularly notable as it marks her first participation in a spacewalk. Kimiya Yui, who is 54, brings his experience from a previous mission to the ISS, having spent 142 days in space. He was selected by JAXA in 2009. Oleg Platonov, at 38, will make his inaugural journey into space having been selected by Roscosmos in 2018 and qualified as a test cosmonaut in 2021. The Crew-11 mission emphasizes NASA's Commercial Crew Program, which aims to facilitate crew rotations and research aboard the ISS, contributing to scientific investigations and future human space exploration goals. The ISS has been in operation since November 2000 and is set for deorbiting by the end of 2030. These missions not only serve to transport crew members but are pivotal in performing experiments and technology demonstrations that will help pave the way for future missions to the Moon and beyond. The launch reinforces the collaboration between different space agencies and the growing role of private entities like SpaceX in space travel.