Damage to Russian launch pad could jeopardize ISS supply

Late last week, a Soyuz rocket successfully and without incident brought two Russian cosmonauts and one US astronaut to the International Space Station ISS, where they will undertake an eight-month mission. However, the launch pad in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, has apparently sustained significant damage. Although the Russian space agency Roscosmos promises a swift repair, the extent of the damage leads observers to expect delays in upcoming missions.

A mobile service structure was apparently not secured firmly enough and was almost completely destroyed by the pressure of the engines, as pictures and drone footage are said to show. The metal platform measures according to NASASpaceflight.com around 19x17 meters and weighs 144 tons. Before launch, it is placed under the rocket and provides access to the first two rocket stages for preparation. Shortly before launch, the service structure is retracted and pushed into a special niche below the launch pad to make space for the engine flames.

Repair unlikely

However, it was apparently not sufficiently secured there, as the metal structure was likely pulled out of the niche by the pressure generated during the rocket launch and fell from a height of 20 meters into the launch pad's flame trench. According to experts, the damage is so extensive that the service structure is hardly repairable. The construction and approval of a new metal structure would likely take years, so it is hoped that Roscosmos can procure a replacement from other launch pads.

The Russian space agency has so far only stated in a brief statement on Telegram that "damage to several components of the launch pad has been identified." "The condition of the launch pad is currently being assessed," it further states. "All necessary spare parts are available, and the damage will be rectified shortly."

Russia without alternative launch pad

While Russia has several launch pads for Soyuz rockets, Launch Pad 31 in Baikonur is the only one capable of transporting both cargo and astronauts to the ISS. The launch pad in Plesetsk is too far north for launches to the ISS, and the historic "Site 1," from which Yuri Gagarin first launched into space in 1961, was recently decommissioned. It is to become a museum.

The situation also raises according to Ars Technica the question of Russia's commitment to the ISS. Will the Russian leadership, in addition to the war of aggression against Ukraine, invest the necessary resources in civilian spaceflight to continue contributing to the ISS supply? Furthermore, the pressure on SpaceX increases, as Elon Musk's space company is now the only option for manned ISS missions. Boeing's SpaceX alternative, the Starliner, is scheduled to fly unmanned on the next mission after the debacle with its first manned flight.

The next Soyuz rocket launch to the ISS is scheduled for December 21. Observers expect this cargo mission to be definitely postponed. The next manned flight to the ISS from the Baikonur launch pad is planned for mid-July 2026, but this date is now also in jeopardy. Because even if a new service structure can be organized, regulations after such a repair require a cargo mission first before manned rockets are allowed to launch from this launch pad again.

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