NASA SpaceX Launch Canceled Minute Before Liftoff

SpaceX scrubbed Thursday’s planned launch of four astronauts to the International Space Station due to thick cloud cover, halting the countdown at T-minus 1 minute, 7 seconds.

The next launch attempt from Kennedy Space Center is scheduled for Friday at 11:43 a.m., though weather conditions are expected to worsen. The international crew—comprising American, Japanese and Russian astronauts—will spend at least six months aboard the orbiting lab, relieving the team sent up in March to stand in for two NASA astronauts grounded by spacecraft issues.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, currently serving as NASA’s acting administrator, was present for the launch attempt. The day began with favorable conditions, but deteriorated as winds increased and clouds moved in.

Aboard the Falcon 9 rocket is the Crew Dragon capsule Endeavour, embarking on its historic sixth human spaceflight—making it the most‑flown Crew Dragon ever built. The four‑astronaut crew includes NASA’s Zena Cardman (commander) and Mike Fincke (pilot), Japan’s Kimiya Yui and Russia’s Oleg Platonov. Cardman and Platonov are on their first missions, while Fincke and Yui return for additional spaceflights.

The mission will transit to the International Space Station (ISS) over approximately 39 hours, a record for Crew Dragon docking time, arriving August 2-3 depending on orbital alignment.

Crew‑11 is the eleventh crew rotation flight under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and the twelfth human‑rated Dragon launch—including the Demo‑2 test flight—highlighting the Capsule’s role in maintaining continuous U.S. human access to the ISS. The flight follows Axiom Mission 4’s recent use of the new “Grace” capsule and ensures seamless overlap with ISS reboost operations tied to NASA’s CRS‑33 cargo Dragon mission.