Russia’s Space Launch Success Shadowed by Damaged Launch Pad
So, here’s what’s been happening in the world of spaceflight, and it’s a mix of triumph and trouble. A brand-new Soyuz mission, called Soyuz MS-28, was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying a joint crew of two Russian cosmonauts—Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev—and NASA astronaut Christopher Williams. The rocket lifted off smoothly, and the spacecraft reached the International Space Station exactly as planned. Docking was completed successfully, and the crew stepped aboard in good condition, ready to start their long stay in orbit.
But while the mission itself went by the book, the situation on the ground turned out to be far more complicated. After the rocket cleared the launch tower, engineers inspected the launch pad and discovered that several parts of the structure had been damaged. Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, confirmed the issue, explaining that portions of the launch complex—specifically elements supporting the rocket and the structures used for crew access—had not survived the extreme force and heat of the liftoff. An official assessment is underway, and the agency insists that all necessary spare parts are available, with repairs expected “very soon.”
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However, Russian space analysts and bloggers aren’t convinced the situation is that simple. Some have reported that the service cabin collapsed during liftoff and that debris fell into the gas exhaust trench beneath the pad. Observers even pointed out on the official broadcast that metal structures appeared where they absolutely shouldn’t have been. If the damage is as serious as they claim, Russia may face a temporary halt in its ability to send humans into space. Since Baikonur is currently the country’s only operational crewed-launch site, any long delay could disrupt the rotation of astronauts and even affect critical cargo missions to the ISS.
That’s particularly significant because, despite geopolitical tensions and the strain of ongoing conflicts, space remains one of the few areas where Russia and the United States continue to cooperate. The three new arrivals aboard the ISS are scheduled to spend 242 days in orbit, conducting dozens of experiments and stepping outside the station for two planned spacewalks. Their mission will run until July 2026.
For Russia, though, this launch pad damage is another reminder of the challenges facing its once-legendary space program. Decades of underfunding, aging infrastructure, and corruption scandals have chipped away at what was once a symbol of national accomplishment. And now, with a damaged launch pad and rising doubts from experts, much will depend on how quickly Baikonur can be restored so the next crewed missions can stay on schedule.
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