BY:SpaceEyeNews.
Russia’s only ISS launch pad damaged: a routine launch with a hidden problem
At first glance, everything looked perfect. On November 27, 2025, a Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying two Russian cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut on an eight-month mission to the International Space Station. The rocket performed normally. The crew docked safely. Roscosmos announced that everyone on board felt well and ready to work. Reuters+1
Then the post-launch inspection began. Technicians walked the pad, as they do after every launch. This time, they found something they did not expect. Russia’s only ISS launch pad was damaged. Several key components of the launch complex had failed under the stress of liftoff. Roscosmos confirmed “damage to a number of launch pad elements” and said the condition of the complex was under assessment. Space+1
That single inspection turned a “routine” Soyuz launch into a strategic wake-up call. Russia’s only ISS launch pad damaged means far more than a broken structure. It exposes how much modern human spaceflight still depends on fragile, aging infrastructure on the ground.
What happened at Baikonur on November 27, 2025
A successful Soyuz flight on the surface
Soyuz MS-28 lifted off from Site 31/6 at Baikonur, the only pad Russia currently uses for crewed flights to the International Space Station. Since 2020, this site has handled all Russian crewed and cargo missions to the ISS after the famous “Gagarin’s Start” pad, Site 1, retired due to a lack of upgrade funding. Space+1
The rocket left the tower on schedule. The Soyuz 2.1a booster placed the crew on the correct trajectory. A few hours later, the spacecraft docked with the station. NASA and Roscosmos both confirmed the crew’s good health and normal operations on board. AP News+1
From orbit, everything looked like a textbook mission.
The hidden issue under the rocket
Back on the ground, the story changed. As Roscosmos explained, the standard post-launch inspection revealed damage to several components of the launch pad. That included the support systems around the rocket and structures used to give crews and technicians access to the capsule. These systems must withstand extreme heat, pressure, and vibration every time a rocket leaves the pad. Межа. Новини України.+1
External analyses, based on drone footage and photos, suggest that a heavy service or maintenance platform in the flame trench either did not retract as designed or could not handle the exhaust forces. Parts of this structure appear to have collapsed into the trench during liftoff. Business press and specialist outlets described it as significant structural damage at the base of the pad, not just minor cosmetic wear. Business Insider+1
Roscosmos, in its public message, struck a calm tone. The agency said all “necessary spare parts” exist and promised repairs “in the near future.” Yet Russian space commentators quickly noted that this was Russia’s only ISS launch pad damaged in this way. They warned that the real impact would not show up on that day’s mission, but on the next ones. Space+1
Why one damaged pad matters so much
A single point of failure for crewed ISS access
The phrase “Russia’s only ISS launch pad damaged” is not a headline trick. It is a literal description. Since the closure of Gagarin’s Start in 2019, Site 31/6 has been the only active pad certified for crewed Soyuz flights to the ISS. There is no fully ready backup pad for these missions at Baikonur. Space+1
Analyst Georgy Trishkin, quoted in regional outlets, highlighted the risk very directly. If this pad stays offline for an extended period, the entire rotation of crewed missions and cargo flights to the ISS could be affected. Another analyst, Vitaliy Egorov, went even further, saying that from the day of the incident, Russia effectively lost its ability to launch humans into space until repairs or upgrades restore that capability. Moneycontrol+1
This is not about a single launch. It is about the continuity of Russia’s human presence in orbit. ISS operations rely on carefully planned rotations, overlapping crews, and a steady flow of supplies. When Russia’s only ISS launch pad is damaged, that careful choreography suddenly gains a weak link.
Impact on ISS rotations and cargo operations
The timing intensifies the concern. The new Soyuz crew that launched from Baikonur joined seven people already on board the ISS. Three of those are scheduled to return to Earth in early December. Future Russian crews and cargo missions were already on the calendar to keep the station’s Russian segment supplied and staffed. Reuters+1
If Baikonur’s damaged pad remains out of service longer than expected, several things may happen:
- Crew rotations may slip. Russia could need to extend current crew stays or coordinate more closely with NASA’s Crew Dragon schedule.
- Cargo flights could face delays. Progress resupply missions depend on the same general infrastructure and launch cadence. Delays could force rescheduling of experiments or transfer plans. DIE WELT+1
- Future planning becomes harder. Russia is working on its planned Russian Orbital Service Station (ROSS), with early modules discussed for the late 2020s. A fragile launch infrastructure complicates long-term crewed ambitions. Longbridge SG
Other space agencies also watch this carefully. When Russia’s only ISS launch pad is damaged, it reminds everyone that access to orbit is only as strong as the weakest support structure on the ground.
How long could repairs take?
Roscosmos speaks of quick restoration
Roscosmos has tried to reassure observers. In its public statements, the agency emphasized that reserve elements and spare parts are on hand. It also said that engineers have already started assessing the state of the launch complex, and that the damage will be “eliminated very soon.” Al Jazeera+1
This optimistic message suggests a repair timeline measured in weeks, not years. From a political and operational perspective, a fast recovery matters. Russia wants to avoid any perception that its human spaceflight program has hit a long pause.
Analysts urge caution on timelines
Independent analysts tell a more cautious story. Specialists quoted by regional and international outlets estimate that full repairs might take longer than early statements suggest. Some mention a minimum of one week for basic fixes, with the real risk being a longer shutdown if inspections reveal deeper structural issues in the flame trench, support columns, or access systems. Moneycontrol+1
One analysis even raised the possibility that the damage could affect Russian crewed space operations for many months, if not up to two years, depending on how much of the underlying structure needs rebuilding. German coverage described a critical Baikonur structure, identified as essential for both Soyuz and Progress missions, as badly affected. This kind of component is not something engineers can swap overnight. DIE WELT+1
At the same time, Russia has not yet fully prepared an alternative crew-capable pad at its newer Vostochny Cosmodrome. Work on that capability continues, but it is not available today as a direct backup for ISS flights. As a result, much of the short-term pressure flows back to Baikonur. Business Insider+1
Until engineers finish a full technical assessment, there will be uncertainty. Russia’s only ISS launch pad damaged means plans now depend on what inspectors find when they look beneath the most visible broken metal.
What this incident teaches the space community
Aging infrastructure in a new space race
The Baikonur incident is not only a Russian story. It is also a lesson for every space agency and commercial launch provider. Many iconic launch sites around the world date back to the early years of the space age. They have received upgrades, but their foundations, flame trenches, and some support structures still carry decades of stress.
Russia’s only ISS launch pad damaged by one launch shows how a single mechanical failure or structural weakness can suddenly appear after many successful missions. The pad handled multiple crewed and cargo flights in recent years. The failure only became obvious when one platform or component, possibly weakened over time, could not withstand another intense liftoff. Space+1
As more countries and companies push for higher launch rates, the pressure on ground systems will continue to grow. Infrastructure that looked robust at one launch cadence might struggle with a busier schedule.
Redundancy as a strategic asset
Another key lesson is the value of redundancy. NASA, for example, benefits from multiple crew-capable vehicles and pads, including different commercial providers. When one system pauses, another can sometimes pick up the slack. Redundancy is expensive, but it acts as insurance against unexpected setbacks.
Russia’s current situation, by contrast, shows what happens when a program relies heavily on a single critical asset. With Russia’s only ISS launch pad damaged, there is no ready backup pad that can start launching crewed Soyuz missions next week. Modernizing another Baikonur pad or completing crew-capable facilities at Vostochny would require time, funding, and certification.
For other nations, this should serve as a planning signal. Investing in extra infrastructure, or at least designing flexible launch systems that can move between pads, can reduce the risk that one accident or structural failure halts human access to orbit.
Conclusion: Russia’s only ISS launch pad damaged and the road ahead
The Soyuz MS-28 mission will be remembered for two very different reasons. From the crew’s perspective, it marked the start of an eight-month stay aboard the International Space Station, with science, maintenance, and technology demonstrations ahead. From the ground’s perspective, it revealed a fragile point in Russia’s space architecture. Russia’s only ISS launch pad damaged means a single failure now shapes the entire conversation about its near-term human spaceflight plans. AP News+1
In the coming weeks, engineers at Baikonur will inspect, repair, and test. Roscosmos will work to restore confidence and keep ISS commitments. Analysts will watch for signs that repairs are either progressing smoothly or uncovering deeper problems. Other space agencies will quietly check their own infrastructure and ask: “Where are our single points of failure?”
This story is still developing. But one thing is already clear. A dramatic rocket launch is only half the picture. The other half lives in steel beams, concrete trenches, and service platforms that must survive blast after blast. When even one of those elements fails, as we saw when Russia’s only ISS launch pad was damaged, the entire global space community receives a powerful reminder: spaceflight begins on the ground, and that ground must be as resilient as the ambitions it supports.
Reference:
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/28/science/russia-space-launch-pad-damaged-intl-hnk