For the first time since 1961, Russia is hitting pause on sending humans into space due to damage at its launch site in Kazakhstan. This unprecedented situation arose after an incident on Thursday.
The Russian space agency Roscosmos confirmed that during a launch intended for the International Space Station (ISS), the Baikonur Cosmodrome was severely impacted. This site is crucial, as it is the only place where Russia has been able to conduct crewed missions.
Russia’s space community isn’t sugarcoating the issue, suggesting that the damage is worse than what’s being officially reported.
Why This Matters
Leasing the Baikonur facility for $115 million a year, the site has been pivotal in the relationship between Russia and the West, particularly in astronaut launches to the ISS.
Baikonur is historically significant, having launched Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space, in 1961. The cancellation of manned flights from this launch site is thus a major blow for the reputation of Russia’s space program.
Key Details
Reports indicated that the Soyuz MS-28 launch, which occurred at 12:28 p.m. Moscow time, experienced complications. This mission was meant to carry two astronauts from Russia and one from NASA to the ISS.
While it was confirmed that the spacecraft did dock successfully later on, Roscosmos has noted that elements of launchpad Number 31 were damaged during the lift-off.
Falling debris reportedly affected the service cabin under the pad used for accessing lower stages of the rocket, raising alarms among analysts about the implications for future launches.
Georgy Trishkin, a rocket launch analyst, stated on X that both Soyuz and Progress launches will be halted indefinitely as a result of the damages.
Expert Vitaly Egorov took to Telegram to express concerns over the visible damage from the recent launch, questioning ‘What fell off the launch pad at Baikonur?’ He highlighted a significant metal structure that wasn’t supposed to be there, reinforcing the major setback for crewed launches since Gagarin’s historic flight.
Reactions
Vitaly Egorov, Russian Space Expert: “This launch pad has been operational since 1961, supporting around 500 R7-Soyuz missions. It’s been the backbone of Russia’s space activities, so losing the ability to launch humans from it is monumental.”
Georgy Trishkin on X: “The collapse of part of launch pad 31 is concerning. This was the singular facility capable of manned missions from Russia to the ISS, so this situation is critical.”
What’s Next?
Egorov has urged for urgent repairs to the launch pad, although transparency from Roscosmos regarding these efforts is still in question. Meanwhile, ongoing modernization projects at Baikonur are facing setbacks linked to budget constraints and escalating geopolitical tensions stemming from recent events involving Crimea and Ukraine.
