
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
Pentagon advances Golden Dome missile defense with new Space Force contracts - 2
Blue Origin launches New Glenn rocket on company's first NASA-scale science mission - 3
Court clears Beersheba assault suspect of link to Haymanut Kasau disappearance, extends detention - 4
Getting through a Lifelong Change: Individual Examples of overcoming adversity - 5
James Webb Space Telescope watches 'Jekyll and Hyde' galaxy shapeshift into a cosmic monster
Manual for Tracking down the Nearby Business sectors and Marketplaces
Step by step instructions to Pick the Right Dental specialist for Your Dental Inserts Technique
Grass Care Administrations for a Wonderful, Sound Yard
From Squid Game to Your Party! Six Entertaining Test Games That Will Have You in Join
2026 will be the year NASA astronauts fly around the moon again — if all goes to plan
Investigate Business Mastercard Choices for Better Rewards and Rewards
The Reduced Portage Horse: An Inheritance Reconsidered for Present day Experience
Instructions to Discuss Successfully with Your Auto Collision Lawyer
Everything you should know before booking a trip to Spain













