SpaceX launches NASA Crew-11 to the space station from Kennedy Space Center in Florida

As clouds rolled towards the launch pad, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying NASA Crew-11 rose off Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A.

NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon, kicking off their expedition to the ISS. It was the 11th crew rotation and 12th overall astronaut launch by SpaceX for NASA.

"I have no emotions but joy right now," said Cardman, who was flying her first mission. "Ride of a lifetime."

"It's great to be back in orbit again," said Fincke, who last flew on the final flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour in 2011. "Thank you to SpaceX and NASA to get us here. What a ride."

The launch came just in time, as minutes later, clouds were over the launch pad. A lightning watch had already been issued for Kennedy Space Center. The mission was initally delayed on July 31 due to weather.

Crew-11 is scheduled to dock to the ISS at 3 a.m. August 2. The crew will spend six to eight months on the orbiting laboratory conducting space station activities, science, and technology demonstrations.

Once Crew-11 arrives, Crew-10 will begin preparations to return to Earth no earlier than August 6. Crew-10 will be the first NASA crew to splashdown off the coast of California since SpaceX moved crew recovery operations to the West Coast earlier this year.

Last SpaceX landing at Landing Zone 1

Bill Gerstenmaier, Vice President of Build and Flight Reliability at SpaceX, confirmed during a July 30 prelaunch press briefing that this landing was the final landing Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral will support. Going forward, SpaceX will utilize Landing Zone 2.

Eventually, SpaceX plans to have landing sites at Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A.

When is the next rocket launch in Florida?

The next Falcon 9 rocket launch is planned for no earlier than during the first hour of Monday. SpaceX has confirmed the launch of the Starlink 10-30 mission will occur between 12:11 a.m. and 4:11 a.m. August 4 from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The mission is the latest batch of SpaceX Starlink internet satellites. Being in the group 10 of the satellite constellation, the launch will travel on a northeast trajectory.

Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at [email protected] or on X: @brookeofstars.