NASA Astronaut Zena Cardman Appointed to Lead SpaceX Crew-11 Mission to ISS
NASA astronaut Zena Cardman has been appointed to lead the upcoming SpaceX Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission is scheduled for launch in July. Cardman will take command of the four-member crew following her removal from a previous mission last year. She will be accompanied by Pilot Mike Fincke from NASA, Mission Specialist Kimiya Yui from Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mission Specialist Oleg Platonov from the Russian space agency Roscosmos. Crew-11 will transport the team to the orbiting laboratory for an extended stay.
Crew Composition and Mission Details
According to an announcement by NASA officials, Cardman’s appointment to Crew-11 comes after her removal from SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission in August last year. That decision had been taken to accommodate NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams for their return to Earth following technical issues faced by Boeing’s Starliner capsule. These issues included thruster problems and helium leaks during its test flight to the ISS. The Starliner spacecraft had been returned without crew in September after safety concerns were raised.
Astronaut Experience and Background
As per NASA’s official statement, the Crew-11 mission will mark the first spaceflight experience for both Cardman and Platonov. Cardman had been selected by NASA in 2017. Platonov had been selected by Roscosmos in 2018. Mike Fincke, who will serve as the pilot, has already completed three space missions. He has spent a total of 382 days aboard the ISS during expeditions in 2004, 2008 and 2011. Kimiya Yui had served as a flight engineer during ISS Expeditions 44 and 45. He had remained aboard the station for 142 days from 2014 to 2015.
Changes Following Starliner Mission
According to reports, Cardman and astronaut Stephanie Wilson were removed from the Crew-9 assignment when NASA altered plans to facilitate the safe return of Starliner’s crew. Wilson’s reassignment has not been announced yet. Mike Fincke was earlier assigned to Boeing’s Starliner-1 mission. The launch date for Starliner-1 remains uncertain due to unresolved issues from previous flights. The Crew-11 mission is now expected to provide NASA with continued crew presence on the ISS. It will support ongoing research and operations.
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A towering spiral of plasma has been recorded extending millions of kilometres from the Sun. The video was taken by the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter during an eight-hour period on October 12, 2022. A coronal mass ejection caused the plasma to rise from the Sun’s surface. The footage captured something which was never observed before. It showed a swirling motion in the solar wind. As per the latest report, scientists also recorded bright streaks that were moving across the frame. Researchers also revealed that these streaks appeared as pixelated lines, which might also ressemble like UFOs. Scientists later confirmed they were distant stars visible due to the imaging process.
Study Identifies Plasma Formation as a Pseudostreamer
The study published in The Astrophysical Journal revealed that the massive structure that appeared in the photos was a large pseudostreamer. It was formed near the Sun’s north pole after a solar flare erupted. The report further highlighted that the plasma reached 1.5 times the Sun’s width and remained visible for three hours. Scientists believes the twisting movement of the plasma was due to Alfvénic fluctuations. These fluctuations happen when waves of charged particles respond to magnetic disturbances. Scientists says the pseudostreamer’s location influenced its unique shape. Magnetic fields at the Sun’s poles are stronger than those near the equator.
Unusual Streaks Explained
The video also showed bright, half-dark lines crossing the screen. These lines appeared to move in a pattern similar to arcade game graphics. ESA confirmed that these were distant stars. The video’s editing technique made them appear as streaks rather than points of light. The Solar Orbiter’s movement against the background created this effect.
Solar Activity Expected to Intensify
The Sun is currently experiencing solar maximum. Flares and solar winds have increased since early 2024. The pseudostreamer in the video formed before this peak. Scientists were surprised by its early appearance. ESA’s Solar Orbiter continues to capture detailed images of solar wind. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe and ESA’s Proba-3 mission are also studying these phenomena. More extreme solar winds are expected in the coming years.
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SpaceX has sent another batch of satellites into orbit. On April 3, a Falcon 9 rocket launched 27 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The rocket lifted off at 9.02 p.m. Eastern Time and was followed by a successful landing of the first-stage booster on a drone ship stationed in the Pacific Ocean. This booster had already been used on four earlier flights. The satellites are expected to be deployed nearly an hour after takeoff if mission steps proceed as planned. The launch formed part of SpaceX’s continued effort to expand its low Earth orbit network.
Details from the Launch Mission Description
According to the mission information provided by SpaceX, the launch marked the fifth use of the same Falcon 9 booster. The drone ship used for recovery was named “Of Course I Still Love You”. This reusable system has become a routine part of SpaceX operations. The booster’s return was completed around eight minutes after liftoff. The launch contributed to the growing total of Starlink satellites which is aimed at building a global broadband network.
Launch Activity in 2025
This latest mission has brought the number of Falcon 9 launches in 2025 to 38. About two-thirds of those have supported the expansion of the Starlink constellation. Earlier this week, two separate launches were also completed. One of them included the Fram2 private astronaut mission, which carried crew members into orbit over Earth’s poles. That mission marked a new milestone in human spaceflight.
Starlink Satellite Network
Over 7100 satellites are now part of the Starlink constellation. The system is already the largest of its kind. SpaceX continues to work on expanding its coverage by launching more satellites regularly. The objective remains to provide consistent internet access worldwide, especially in regions with limited connectivity options.
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