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NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 Mission: Astronaut Zena Cardman to Command ISS Expedition
Veteran and rookie astronauts have been assigned to SpaceX’s Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). NASA has announced that astronaut Zena Cardman will command the mission, marking a significant step in her space career after a prior reassignment. This spaceflight, scheduled to potentially launch as early as July, will also include pilot Mike Fincke of NASA, mission specialist Kimiya Yui from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and mission specialist Oleg Platonov representing Roscosmos.
Crew-11 Mission Details and Astronaut Assignments
NASA confirmed the composition of SpaceX’s Crew-11 mission to the ISS on Thursday, March 27. Zena Cardman will take the helm as commander. Mike Fincke will serve as pilot, contributing his extensive spaceflight experience. Kimiya Yui and Oleg Platonov will both be mission specialists, representing international collaboration in space exploration.
The Crew-11 mission represents a significant development for Cardman, who was initially slated for SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission. However, in August of the previous year, NASA reassigned Cardman and fellow astronaut Stephanie Wilson, creating open slots on the Crew-9 Dragon capsule for its September 28 launch.
Reassignment Following Boeing Starliner Mission Adjustments
These openings accommodated veteran astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who had journeyed to the ISS in June as part of the inaugural crewed test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
Following operational challenges with the Starliner, including thruster issues and helium leaks during its initial mission, NASA decided to return the spacecraft to Earth without a crew. Wilmore and Williams were subsequently moved to a long-duration ISS mission and reassigned to Crew-9 for their return, which culminated in a splashdown on March 18.
As of now, NASA has not yet announced a new spaceflight assignment for Stephanie Wilson.
Crew-11: A Mix of First-Time and Experienced Space Flyers
Crew-11 will mark the first foray into spaceflight for both Commander Cardman and Mission Specialist Platonov. They were selected by NASA and Roscosmos respectively in 2017 and 2018.
Pilot Fincke brings considerable experience to the mission, having already completed three missions to the ISS. His prior missions in 2004, 2008, and 2011 have accumulated to a total of 382 days spent in space. Crew-11 is also a re-assignment for Fincke, who was previously scheduled for Starliner-1, Boeing’s first operational long-duration crewed mission to the ISS. The flight schedule for Crew-1 remains uncertain due to the complications encountered during Starliner’s previous mission.
Mission Specialist Yui has previous ISS experience as a flight engineer on Expeditions 44 and 45. According to NASA, Yui spent 142 days on the station, from November 2014 to July 2015.