SpaceX, Crew-11 rocket launch scrubbed over weather; now targeting Friday
SpaceX, Crew-11 rocket launch scrubbed over weather
NASA and SpaceX delayed the Crew-11 launch to the ISS at T-minus one minute before liftoff on July 31 due to cloud cover violating weather safety criteria.
MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. - NASA and SpaceX have delayed Thursday’s planned launch of the Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
Why was the Crew-11 launch scrubbed?
What we know:
Officials called off the launch at T-minus one minute due to cloud cover, just before liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Watch the video below to see the moment the launch was called off.
Crew-11 launch scrubbed due to weather, officials say
SpaceX and NASA's Crew-11 launch has been postponed due to unfavorable cloud conditions at the launch site. The new target date for launch is Friday, August 1.
When is the next launch opportunity?
Timeline:
SpaceX is preparing for a second launch attempt on Friday, Aug. 1. Liftoff is scheduled for 11:43 a.m. EDT.
If needed, a backup time is planned for Saturday, Aug. 2.
The mission will mark the next exciting chapter in their partnership to support long-duration human spaceflight and cutting-edge research in low-Earth orbit.
CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA JULY 31: The SpaceX Falcon 9 spacecraft sits at Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A on July 31, 2025 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Crew 11 launch to the International Space Station scheduled to take place was canceled by
What is the weather forecast for Friday?
The main concern for the backup launch time at the Kennedy Space Center is the cloud cover on Friday morning, according to FOX 35 Storm Team Meteorologist Laurel Blanchard.
"This weekend a trough will move in across Florida and this will increase moisture in the atmosphere, possibly creating more of a doubt the launch could happen weather-wise," she said. "The increased moisture could have an impact on not only thick cloud cover across the Space Coast, but also lead to rain leading to another possibility of a scrubbed launch."
Live updates from July 31, 2025, below:
Launch scrubbed
12:13 p.m. | SpaceX and NASA are standing down due to weather violations. A backup opportunity is expected to open on Friday, Aug. 1, at 11:43 a.m.
A clock for the Crew-11 mission at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida shows when the lauch was scrubbed with just over one minute to go on July 31, 2025. NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 members are Mission Specialist Kimiya Yui from JAXA (Japa
Fueling begins for SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket
11:49 a.m. | Fueling of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is now in progress. Rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen are currently being loaded into the first stage, according to NASA. In just a few minutes, fueling of the second stage will also begin.
Weather is a go for liftoff
11:35 a.m. | Launch weather teams now predict a 90% chance of favorable weather conditions at the launch pad for liftoff. Previously there was an 85% chance.
Crew-11 boards SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft
11:34 a.m. | The crew access arm has retracted, and the Dragon spacecraft’s launch escape system is now armed, ensuring the Crew-11 astronauts can safely escape in case of an emergency during the first 12 minutes of flight. Propellant loading is set to begin soon.
9:47 a.m. | The crew has completed communication checks and rotated their seats for launch, while SpaceX's pad team prepares to close the hatch—marking the last Earthbound faces the astronauts will see until splashdown at the end of their mission.
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9:24 a.m. | Crew-11 astronauts have boarded SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. They arrived at Launch Complex 39A shortly after 9 a.m.
Before boarding their spacecraft, all four crew members signed the interior wall of the "White Room"—an area at the end of the crew access arm that provides access to the spacecraft. The name "White Room" dates back to NASA’s Gemini era.
When and where is the launch?
What we know:
Liftoff is set for Thursday, July 31, 2025, at 12:09 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida.
Crew-11 will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying a four-person international team toward a six-month mission aboard the ISS.
Meet the Crew
Commander: Zena Cardman (NASA)
Pilot: Mike Fincke (NASA)
Mission Specialist: Kimiya Yui (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)
Mission Specialist: Oleg Platonov (Roscosmos)
CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - JULY 31: Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, Jaxa astronaut Kimiya Yui, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Control Building at the Kennedy Space Center for
What is the purpose of the Crew-11 mission?
Big picture view:
Once aboard the ISS, the team will spend about six months conducting scientific experiments, running technology demos, and preparing for future exploration — including the Moon and beyond. Their work supports both life on Earth and future human missions into deep space.
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Crew-11 is the 11th crew rotation mission of SpaceX's human space transportation system and its 12th flight with astronauts, including the Demo-2 test flight, to the space station through NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by NASA and SpaceX.