International Crew Launches to Space Station Aboard SpaceX Capsule After Starliner Delays

A crew of four astronauts from the United States, Japan, and Russia launched to the International Space Station on Friday aboard a SpaceX capsule, following delays related to Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. The launch took place at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, with the team set to replace colleagues who have been on the station since March.

The crew includes NASA biologist Zena Cardman, who was originally scheduled to fly last year but was reassigned due to Starliner’s ongoing technical problems. Cardman, now the flight commander, described the experience after reaching orbit as "the ride of a lifetime." NASA’s Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov complete the team. Fincke and Yui had been training for Starliner missions before being reassigned to SpaceX, while Platonov returned to flight status after resolving a previous health issue.

NASA’s acting administrator, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, met with Roscosmos director general Dmitry Bakanov ahead of the launch to discuss ongoing collaboration. Duffy emphasized the importance of these missions for future lunar and Mars exploration, stating, > "What we learn on these missions is what’s going to get us to the moon and then from the moon to Mars, which is I think the direction that NASA has to be."

NASA is considering extending crew stays on the station from six to eight months and reducing crew sizes to manage costs. SpaceX is nearing certification for longer-duration flights, potentially allowing the current crew to remain in orbit until April. Meanwhile, Boeing’s Starliner remains grounded as engineers continue to address technical issues, with the next flight likely to carry cargo rather than crew. An air leak on the Russian segment of the station persists, but Platonov said earlier this month that he is not concerned about the localized issue.