spacetoday.net: ISS launch damages Baikonur pad

Posted: Sun, Nov 30, 2025, 8:59 AM ET (1359 GMT)
Soyuz MS-28 launch (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The only launch pad capable of supporting Progress and Soyuz spacecraft launches to the International Space Station was damaged in the latest launch to the ISS Thursday. A Soyuz-2.1a rocket lifted off from Site 31/6 at Baikonur at 4:27 am EST (0927 GMT) and put the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft into orbit. That spacecraft, carrying Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev and NASA astronaut Chris Williams, docked with the ISS a little more than three hours later. While the launch itself took place without incident, the pad itself was damaged, with a service platform in the base falling into the flame trench below. Roscosmos acknowledged the pad was damaged but said it could be repaired quickly. Others, though, said repairing the service platform could take up to two years, and that there are no other launch pads in service now that could host Soyuz and Progress launches. NASA said it was aware of the incident but referred questions to Roscosmos.