'Hold, hold, hold': NASA-Crew 11 SpaceX launch abruptly cancelled just seconds before liftoff

NASA and SpaceX were all set to launch the next crew to the International Space Station (ISS) today but it was cancelled just seconds before it was due to leave the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. SpaceX scrubbed Thursday's planned launch of four astronauts to the International Space Station due to thick cloud cover. Well into the 80-second countdown, the mission was aborted due to weather, reported Express News.

Just 65 seconds before launch, the four-strong crew aboard the SpaceX Dragon heard a "hold" call. It said: "Hold hold hold, we are standing down for violation of weather rules." The next launch attempt from Kennedy Space Center is scheduled for Friday at 11:43 a.m., though weather conditions are expected to worsen.

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NASA- SpaceX Crew 11 launch cancelled

In the live stream shown by the NASA, another alert was heard, saying: "Dragon SpaceX, bad luck on weather there, we just got clipped by a cumulous cloud right over the launchpad so we ended up scrubbing for weather." A few minutes later, the Kennedy Space Center shared a message on X, reading: "Due to weather, NASA and SpaceX are standing down from today’s launch attempt."

As the launch was aborted, NASA and SpaceX teams began offloading the rocket to allow the crew to disembark.

Four astronauts—NASA’s Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov—are set to launch aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft “Endeavor.” The international crew will spend at least six months aboard the orbiting lab.

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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, currently serving as NASA's acting administrator, was present for the launch attempt. The day began with favorable conditions, but deteriorated as winds increased and clouds moved in.

Designated as Crew-11, this mission marks the 11th crew rotation flight involving the Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket, and the 16th crewed Dragon mission to the International Space Station (ISS), according to NASA.

Upon arrival at the ISS, the Crew-11 team will undergo a handover period with the outgoing Crew-10, which includes NASA astronauts Ann McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. After the transition, Crew-10 will depart the station and return to Earth, with splashdown expected off the coast of California.

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During their mission aboard the ISS, Crew-11 will conduct scientific research, perform technology demonstrations, and carry out routine maintenance. They will also support the Artemis campaign by participating in simulations designed to replicate lunar landing scenarios.

The Crew-11 mission is set to reach the International Space Station (ISS) after an estimated 39-hour journey—the longest docking time yet for a Crew Dragon spacecraft. Arrival is expected between August 2 and 3, depending on orbital alignment.

This marks the eleventh crew rotation flight under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and the twelfth human-rated launch of a Dragon capsule, including the Demo-2 test flight. The mission underscores Crew Dragon’s vital role in sustaining uninterrupted U.S. human access to the ISS. It follows Axiom Mission 4’s recent flight using the new “Grace” capsule and is timed to ensure a smooth transition with ISS reboost operations tied to NASA’s CRS-33 cargo Dragon mission.