Launch pad damage at Baikonur
Roscosmos has confirmed that a launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan was damaged during the recent launch of a Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft carrying two Russian cosmonauts and one NASA astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS). The crewed spacecraft reached orbit and later docked successfully with the ISS, but post-launch inspections on the ground revealed structural problems at the site.
Nature and scale of the damage
Engineers reported damage to several key elements of the launch complex, including a mobile service structure beneath the pad that appears to have partially collapsed shortly after liftoff. Observers and space analysts noted debris and an unexpected large metal structure visible in the exhaust trench, suggesting the blast caused more serious physical harm than initially acknowledged.
Impact on Russia’s crewed access to space
Baikonur currently hosts Russia’s only operational launch pad used for sending crews to the ISS, and it was also slated to support future flights to the planned Russian Orbital Station. Space commentators warn that until this pad is repaired or another one is modernized, Russia’s ability to launch humans into space could be effectively suspended for the first time since the early 1960s.
Official assurances and repair plans
Roscosmos has stated that assessments of the launch complex are underway and that all necessary spare components are available to restore the damaged systems. The agency insists that repairs will be carried out promptly and that the Baikonur facility will return to service “very soon,” although independent experts expect the recovery to take longer.
Roscosmos acknowledged that several components of the Baikonur launch pad were damaged and that a full evaluation of the complex is in progress.
Author’s brief summary
Serious blast damage to Baikonur’s only crew-rated pad threatens Russia’s sole route for human spaceflight, and although Roscosmos promises quick repairs, experts foresee a longer, riskier pause in crewed launches.
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