Russian launch pad damaged following the launch of NASA astronaut and 2 others to ISS

The facility Russia uses to send astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) has suffered damage and will require repairs before additional missions can be conducted. Despite this setback, the Soyuz MS-28 mission successfully delivered three crew members to the ISS following a Thanksgiving Day launch.

The launch, which took place at Russia's primary space complex in Kazakhstan, caused damage to the launch pad itself. The Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft carried NASA astronaut Chris Williams along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev to the orbiting laboratory.

Roscosmos reported that inspections revealed damage to multiple elements of the launch pad. The agency stated that the necessary components to restore the site are available and that repairs are expected to be completed promptly.

"Damage to a number of elements of the launch pad was detected. An assessment of the state of the launch complex is being conducted now. All the necessary reserve elements are there to restore it and the damage will be eliminated very soon," Roscosmos said.

The Soyuz MS-28 crew arrived at the ISS on Thursday, November 27, 2025. Williams and his Russian crewmates are scheduled to spend around eight months aboard the station conducting scientific research and supporting station operations before returning to Earth in summer 2026. They are replacing the previous three-member crew, which included NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, who traveled to the ISS aboard Soyuz MS-27 in April.

The Baikonur Cosmodrome, operated by Roscosmos in Kazakhstan, serves as the launch site for all of Russias crewed space missions. Officials indicated that the damage to the launch pad will not affect the current Soyuz MS-28 mission schedule.

Author: Sophia Brooks