NASA Crew-11 astronauts enter quarantine before historic spaceflight

In the United States, the four members of NASA's Crew-11 space mission began their two-week quarantine on July 18, 2025, at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. This quarantine precedes their scheduled launch on July 31, 2025, from central Florida to the International Space Station (ISS). The crew consists of NASA astronauts Zena Cardman, the 37-year-old commander on her first spaceflight, Mike Fincke, a 58-year-old veteran on his fourth trip to the ISS, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Kimiya Yui on his inaugural mission, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Plantonov, which also marks his first mission into space. This quarantine practice, a standard procedure established by NASA since the Apollo missions from 1968 to 1972, is intended to mitigate the risk of preflight illness and to avoid subsequent symptoms during the actual flight. The crew's limited contact with the outside world ensures that they remain healthy for the high-stakes launch ahead. During the weeks leading up to the quarantine, crew members undertook extensive training, participating in simulations at both NASA and SpaceX facilities, including emergency procedures and familiarization with the spacecraft. This mission is particularly significant as it represents the 11th operational flight of SpaceX's Dragon Endeavour spacecraft aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. NASA is working in partnership with SpaceX as they have become the primary vehicle for transporting crews to the ISS, following the retirement of the Space Shuttle program. Notably, this crew follows Crew-10, which launched earlier in March 2025, allowing for a continuous presence of astronauts aboard the ISS. As launch day approaches, excitement builds with the team's preparations being publicly acknowledged by NASA through various platforms, including social media. All team members invested significant time in preparation and extensive training, which included underwater survival training, escape procedures, and spacecraft operations. They practiced in diverse scenarios to ensure readiness for their upcoming mission. In addition to their technical training, the crew participated in a podcast to discuss their backgrounds, mission objectives, and aspirations for the journey ahead. The successful execution of this mission not only demonstrates advancements in space exploration by NASA and SpaceX but also holds great promise for future international collaborations in space travel and habitation.