Russia’s sole active launch complex for crewed spaceflights sustained damage during the recent Soyuz MS-28 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The incident, confirmed by Roscosmos, highlights the critical infrastructure challenges facing Russia’s space program.
Damage to Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31/6
The damage occurred to the maintenance cabin – a crucial service platform within the launch trench at Site 31/6 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. This platform is essential for preparing rockets for launch and reportedly collapsed following the Soyuz 2.1a rocket’s lift-off on Thursday, November 27th. Roscosmos acknowledged the damage in a statement, emphasizing that such incidents can occur post-launch and are standard practice to inspect.
“The condition of the launch complex is currently being assessed. All the necessary spare parts are available for restoration, and the damage will be repaired in the near future.” – Roscosmos
The Significance of Site 31/6
Since 2020, Site 31/6 has been Russia’s exclusive launchpad for human and cargo missions to the ISS. The prior launch site, Site 1 (historically known as “Gagarin’s Start” for hosting the first human spaceflight in 1961), was retired due to insufficient funding for upgrades. This leaves Russia with limited options for crewed missions if repairs take longer than anticipated.
Repair Timeline and Alternatives
According to space journalist Anatoly Zak, repairs to the damaged service platform (8U0216) could take up to two years. Possible solutions include borrowing hardware from the mothballed Site 1 or other facilities, though this is not guaranteed. It remains uncertain whether alternative Russian launchpads can support ISS-bound flights, potentially affecting Roscosmos’s scheduled uncrewed Progress resupply mission in December.
The Soyuz MS-28 crew – consisting of Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev, along with NASA astronaut Chris Williams – are currently safe aboard the ISS and will remain there for the next eight months.
The incident underscores Russia’s reliance on a single active launch facility for crewed space missions. The long-term implications of the damage could constrain future ISS operations and highlight broader challenges in maintaining aging space infrastructure.
