ISS Crew Uncertain of Return Date Amid Trump’s NASA Cutbacks
▼ Summary
– A four-person crew launched aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Endeavour for a six-to-eight-month mission on the International Space Station, departing from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
– The Crew-11 mission is led by commander Zena Cardman, with pilot Mike Fincke and mission specialists Kimiya Yui (Japan) and Oleg Platonov (Russia).
– The Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage booster successfully landed at Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) for the 53rd and final time before the site is repurposed for another company’s launches.
– SpaceX will shift future onshore booster landings to new zones near Falcon 9 launch pads, as LZ-1 and adjacent LZ-2 are being decommissioned.
– SpaceX plans to continue using LZ-2 temporarily while coordinating with authorities to transition to new landing sites in the future.
A new crew has embarked on their journey to the International Space Station, though uncertainty lingers about their exact return timeline amid shifting priorities for NASA’s future missions. The four-person team launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, beginning what was initially planned as a six-to-eight-month stay in orbit.
Commander Zena Cardman leads the Crew-11 mission, joined by NASA astronaut Mike Fincke as pilot and mission specialists Kimiya Yui from Japan and Oleg Platonov from Russia. Their Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 11:43 AM EDT, soaring northeast over the Atlantic before aligning with the ISS’s orbital path. The spacecraft is scheduled to dock autonomously with the station early the following day.
The launch also marked the end of an era for SpaceX’s Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1), where the Falcon 9’s first stage booster successfully touched down for the 53rd and final time. Since the first historic landing in 2015, SpaceX has perfected the art of recovering boosters, with most missions now targeting drone ships at sea. However, when fuel margins allow, the company has opted for onshore landings at Cape Canaveral.
Now, the Space Force plans to repurpose LZ-1 for another rocket operator, forcing SpaceX to shift its operations. Future landings will transition to newly constructed zones near the company’s existing Falcon 9 launch pads. Landing Zone 2, adjacent to LZ-1, will also be decommissioned once the new sites become operational.
Bill Gerstenmaier, SpaceX’s vice president of build and flight reliability, confirmed the transition is underway but emphasized that Landing Zone 2 will remain in use for the near future. “We’re coordinating with Kennedy Space Center to determine the right timing for the move,” he said. The change reflects SpaceX’s adaptability as it continues to refine its launch and recovery processes.
While the crew settles into their orbital home, questions remain about how broader shifts in space policy could impact their mission duration. With NASA’s priorities evolving, the exact timeline for their return remains fluid, adding another layer of complexity to life aboard the ISS.
(Source: Ars Technica)
