SpaceX Crew-11 Mission Concludes: Groundbreaking ISS Science

After months circling Earth aboard the International Space Station, the astronauts of SpaceX Crew-11 mission are back on solid ground. Their return marks the end of a long-duration expedition that blended cutting-edge science with a powerful reminder of what international cooperation in orbit can achieve. The crew — NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov — spent their mission advancing research critical to humanity’s return to the Moon and eventual journeys to Mars. In total, Cardman, Fincke and Yui alone logged more than 850 hours of scientific work. Strengthening the Human Body for Deep Space One of the mission’s most important investigations focused on bone stem cells in microgravity. Working inside the station’s Life Science Glovebox, Cardman helped scientists better understand why astronauts lose bone density in space. The findings could improve countermeasures for long missions while informing new treatments for osteoporosis on Earth. Technology to Clean Up Orbit Fincke also tested an experimental inflatable capture bag designed to open and seal reliably in weightlessness. The technology could one day help remove dangerous debris from Earth orbit, capture samples during exploration missions, or even assist with small asteroid operations. Watching Earth &. Beyond From the station’s cupola, Yui continued a decades-long tradition of photographing Earth’s changing surface. These images support climate science, disaster monitoring and urban planning. Astronauts also used the station’s windows to observe stars and atmospheric airglow without the distortion caused by Earth’s atmosphere. Food, Cargo and Human Health Crew-11 supported the arrival of JAXA’s new HTV-X1 cargo spacecraft, expanding the station’s ability to deliver science and supplies. Meanwhile, Yui worked on producing nutrient-rich yoghurt using microorganisms; a step toward making vitamins on demand during deep-space missions. Fincke also wore a non-invasive temperature-sensing headband to study how the human body regulates heat in orbit. The same technology could one day protect workers on Earth in extreme heat. A Quarter-Century in Orbit The mission coincided with a historic milestone: 25 years of continuous human presence aboard the International Space Station. Since its first crew arrived, more than 290 people from 26 countries have lived and worked on the orbiting laboratory. As Crew-11 returns home, their research legacy continues, shaping safer spacecraft, healthier astronauts and a clearer path toward humanity’s next giant leap.