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3mo ago

Baikonur Pad Collapse Grounds Russian Soyuz and Progress Launches to the ISS

NASA reports the ISS has adequate reboost capability during Roscosmos’ ongoing damage assessment.

A Soyuz rocket launch has dealt significant damage to Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome, leaving Russia without the ability to launch astronauts.
NASA has acknowledged Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome sustaining severe damage following a botched Soyuz launch last week.
The Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft carrying NASA astronaut Chris Williams, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev lifts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.
© NASA/Anil Menon

Overview

  • Drone imagery shows the pad’s mobile maintenance cabin lying mangled in the flame trench after the November 27 Soyuz MS-28 liftoff, though the three-person crew arrived safely at the ISS.
  • Site 31/6 is Russia’s only crew-certified Baikonur pad since Gagarin’s Start was retired, leaving no immediately available certified alternative for Soyuz crews or Progress propellant flights.
  • Roscosmos says spare parts are available and repairs will start soon but has given no timeline, and the Progress MS-33 resupply mission is reported delayed from December 21 to next year.
  • Independent analysts warn restoration could take many months to up to two years, with early technical hypotheses pointing to failed securing mechanisms or pressure effects that dislodged the platform.
  • NASA says it is coordinating closely with partners and expects no near-term impact to station attitude control or reboost, while noting only Progress can deliver propellant to the Russian segment.