Key Highlights
- Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan sustained damage after the Soyuz MS-28 launch carrying Russian and U.S. crew members.
- Roscosmos says spare parts are available and repairs will be completed soon, though bloggers claim launches may be halted temporarily.
- The mission successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) despite the incident.
On Thursday, the Soyuz MS-28 mission successfully lifted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome’s Site 31/6. It carried two Russian cosmonauts, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev, and one American NASA astronaut, Chris Williams, to the International Space Station (ISS).
The docking with the station occurred smoothly, marking another milestone in the long-standing cooperation between Russia’s space agency Roscosmos and its U.S. counterpart.
Yet within hours of lift-off, an inspection revealed damage to “a number of elements” of the launchpad, including critical structural components reportedly used to manage rocket exhaust and support ground infrastructure. Roscosmos announced that spare parts are available and repair work will begin soon.
The incident occurred shortly after the rocket blasted off from the Kazakhstan-based spaceport at 4:27 a.m. local time (0927 GMT).
Roscosmos Assures Quick Fix While Experts Raise Concerns
Despite acknowledging the damage, Roscosmos said repairs will begin immediately. According to the agency, “all necessary spare parts for repair are available, and the damage will be eliminated in the near future.”
However, several Russian space bloggers paint a more troubling picture, suggesting that the cosmodrome suffered serious structural damage that may force the agency to pause upcoming launches. If proven accurate, this could impact Russia’s near-term crewed and cargo missions.
Soyuz Crew Safely Arrives at the ISS
While the incident raised concerns about Russia’s aging space infrastructure, the Soyuz MS-28 mission itself proceeded smoothly. Roscosmos confirmed that the spacecraft successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) later the same day.
This launch is a reminder that space exploration remains one of the few active areas of cooperation between the U.S. and Russia, despite deep geopolitical tensions following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Russia’s Space Program Faces Growing Pressure
Russia’s once-celebrated space sector has been hampered by underfunding and corruption scandals for years, reducing its reliability and global standing. Western nations have also scaled back partnerships with Roscosmos as part of sanctions imposed after the Ukraine war.
With the latest damage at Baikonur, concerns over the long-term sustainability of Russia’s space infrastructure are likely to intensify.
