FAA Approves Resumption of SpaceX Falcon 9 Flights After Investigation

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has completed its investigation into an anomaly with SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. The FAA confirmed that there were no injuries or damage to public property as a result of the incident. Following the conclusion of the investigation, the FAA has approved the resumption of Falcon 9 flights. The next scheduled mission for the Falcon 9 is a crewed Dragon spacecraft mission.

NASA announced that the SpaceX Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station is now scheduled for liftoff at 11:43 a.m. EDT on Friday, August 1, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, following a previous launch attempt that was scrubbed due to weather. The targeted docking time for the Crew-11 mission is approximately 3 a.m. on Saturday, August 2.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will carry four crew members: NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. This mission marks the 11th crew rotation and the 12th human spaceflight mission for NASA to the International Space Station supported by the Dragon spacecraft since 2020 under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. NASA will provide live coverage of the prelaunch and launch activities.

On Friday, August 1 at 11:43 a.m. ET, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched the Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Dragon spacecraft autonomously docked with the space station on Saturday, August 2 at 2:27 a.m. ET.

The Dragon spacecraft used for this mission previously supported the Demo-2, Crew-2, Ax-1, Crew-6, and Crew-8 missions. The Falcon 9 booster supporting Crew-11 was on its third flight, having previously launched Ax-4 and a Starlink mission. After stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage landed on Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The Crew-11 astronauts are NASA's Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. During their stay on the orbiting laboratory, the crew will conduct research, technology demonstrations, and maintenance activities. The mission’s objectives include preparing for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit and benefiting humanity on Earth.

NASA and SpaceX postponed the launch of the Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station, initially scheduled for 12:09 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Unfavorable weather conditions at the launch site, including cloud cover, led to a last-minute stand down of the planned liftoff.

The Crew-11 mission involves sending four crew members to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket. The crew consists of NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. This mission marks the eleventh operational crew rotation to the space station supported by Dragon since 2020 under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

The next launch attempt is scheduled for 11:43 a.m. EDT on Friday, August 1, 2025. Live launch coverage for this attempt will begin at 7:35 a.m. on NASA's media channels. The targeted docking time of the spacecraft with the ISS is approximately 3 a.m. EDT on Saturday, August 2, 2025.

The Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft remained on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A during the delay. NASA and SpaceX are monitoring weather and coordinating for the next available launch window, with updates provided through their official platforms. According to the National Weather Service radar for the Space Coast, conditions are being tracked in real time for launch readiness.