Weather conditions crucial for Thursday's crewed SpaceX launch. What's the forecast?
The highly anticipated SpaceX's Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is set for a new launch date. Originally scheduled for July 31, 2025, the mission was scrubbed at T-01:09 minutes due to a weather violation. However, the next launch attempt has been rescheduled for 11:43 AM EDT (15:43 UTC) on Friday, August 1, 2025, from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The weather conditions for the new launch date are forecast to be 75% favorable at the launch pad, with flight path weather closely monitored. The 45th Weather Squadron, which provides detailed assessments for air and space operations in the U.S., has been keeping a close eye on the weather conditions.
The Crew-11 mission involves four astronauts: Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui, and Oleg Platonov. This is the second spaceflight for astronaut Kimiya Yui, while astronauts Zena Cardman and Oleg Platonov are embarking on their first space missions. Mike Fincke, the most experienced member of the crew, has previously been to space in 2004 and 2011.
Fincke, during a recent interview, expressed his excitement about returning to the space station. He helped build the station and now gets to see it in its full maturity. The astronauts will spend about six months living and working on the ISS.
The launch will be livestreamed on NASA and SpaceX's social channels, including NASA TV, SpaceX's X, and YouTube. For detailed instructions on how to watch the livestream, refer to Digital Trends.
This marks the first crewed launch since the Ax-4 flight on June 25. The mission's success is contingent upon no last-minute technical hitches.
Stay tuned for updates on the Crew-11 mission as it prepares for its launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
[1] NASA (2025). Crew-11 Launch Scrubbed Due to Weather. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/crew-11-launch-scrubbed-due-to-weather
[2] Space.com (2025). Crew-11 Launch Delayed Due to Weather. Retrieved from https://www.space.com/crew-11-launch-delayed-due-to-weather.html
- Despite the weather violations causing a delay, the 45th Weather Squadron closely monitors the forecast for SpaceX's Crew-11 mission to ensure favorable conditions for the launch.
- The scientific exploration and maturity of the International Space Station (ISS) intrigues astronaut Mike Fincke as he prepares for his return journey, having previously contributed to its construction.
