
A launch pad at Russia’s main space complex was damaged during Thursday’s launch of a mission carrying two Russians and an American to the International Space Station, Moscow’s space agency announced.
The Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft successfully docked with the space station and the three crew members had boarded, Roscosmos said.
But a post-launch inspection at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan revealed “damage to several elements of the launch pad,” according to a statement from Roscosmos, which still uses the space facility in its former Soviet neighbor.
“An assessment of the condition of the launch complex is currently underway,” it said, adding that all parts needed to repair the pad are available.
“The damage will be repaired in the near future.”
The launch pad contains support systems for the rocket and a structure that allows cosmonauts to access their capsule as it sits atop a Soyuz rocket.
Launch pads must be capable of withstanding extreme heat, air pressure and vibrations as a rocket takes flight.
Russian analysts said repairs to the launch pad could take a week or longer. And any lengthy delay could leave Russia unable to launch missions to the space station, they said.
“In the worst case this could seriously affect the rotation of crewed missions and cargo flights to the ISS,” analyst and blogger Georgy Trishkin wrote on Telegram.
Typically, ISS crew are launched roughly every six months from Baikonur.
“This is the only launch pad Roscosmos uses for the ISS program, and in the future it was supposed to be used for launches to the Russian Orbital Station,” commentator Vitaliy Egorov wrote on Telegram.
“In effect from this day Russia has lost the ability to launch humans into space, something that has not happened since 1961. Now it will be necessary to quickly repair this launch table or modernize another one,” Egorov wrote.
Besides Russia’s Soyuz craft, NASA uses SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft to take crew to the ISS.
The three men aboard the mission that lifted off Thursday join seven other crew already orbiting on the ISS.
Three are scheduled to return to Earth by December 8, according to NASA.
For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
LATEST POSTS
- 1
MacArthur Foundation awards $100M to outbreak surveillance network, a boost amid global health cuts - 2
'You're no longer my sister' - rows erupt as war divides Iranian families - 3
Former IRGC child executioner tells ‘Post’ how he became devout Christian dissident - 4
Is 'Veronica Mars' about to be your new binge-watch? It's now streaming on Netflix. - 5
Egypt seeks to calm tourist fears over fallout of Iran war
Astronauts welcome arrival of new crewmates | On the International Space Station this week Nov. 24-28, 2025
Miley Cyrus flashes a diamond ring on the red carpet, sparking engagement rumors with Maxx Morando: A timeline of their four-year relationship
7 Powerful Methods for forestalling Telephone Overheating: Keep Your Gadget Cool
Protest inspired by 'Gen Z' movement draws few young people in Mexico and many government critics
Fears of global aluminum shortages intensify
Kaiser Permanente affiliates to pay $556 million to resolve US claims alleging Medicare fraud
The Best Traditional Music Arrangers in History
Ukrainian man arrested in Germany on suspicion of spying for Russia
It's official: NASA's Artemis 2 moon mission will break humanity's all-time distance record











