Russia Reduce Off From ISS After Launch Pad Construction Collapses

Russia’s Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft launched on November 27, safely delivering two Roscosmos cosmonauts and one NASA astronaut to the Worldwide Area Station (ISS). The routine mission was successful, however again on the bottom, one thing went awry.

Shortly after liftoff, a construction collapsed on the launch pad at Web site 31/6 on the Baikonur Cosmodrome, in response to NASASpaceFlight.com. Drone footage reportedly confirmed the location’s cellular upkeep cabin mendacity the wrong way up within the flame trench. In a statement, Roscosmos defined that harm can happen after launch, and an inspection is at the moment underway.

“All the required spare components can be found for repairs, and the harm will probably be rectified within the close to future,” the translated assertion reads.

Web site 31/6 is the one Russian launch website able to launching astronauts and cargo to the ISS, and will probably be out of fee till the construction is repaired. Meaning Russia is reduce off from the house station till additional discover. However to be clear, the crew at the moment aboard the ISS has not been stranded by this mishap, and they’re going to have loads of provides even when upcoming cargo missions are delayed.

Most likely clearest views up to now of the collapsed service platform at Web site 31 in Baikonur: pic.twitter.com/qL5irlhFPe

— Anatoly Zak (@RussianSpaceWeb) November 28, 2025

A significant mishap

The upkeep cabin is a 144-ton (131-metric-ton) cellular steel platform outfitted with two lifting platforms, in response to NASASpaceFlight.com. Previous to a launch, the upkeep cabin is positioned beneath the rocket with the platforms raised. This gives entry to the rocket’s engines, permitting the launch crew to conduct preparations.

As soon as these duties are full, the crew lowers the lifting platforms and strikes the upkeep cabin into an enclosed “nook” underneath the launch pad. On November 27, the upkeep cabin was both not correctly secured within the nook, or the locks holding it in a retracted place couldn’t face up to the load, NASASpaceFlight.com studies.

In keeping with RussianSpaceWeb.com, the collapse “clearly befell some moments after the liftoff, as a result of photographs of the launch capturing the flame duct confirmed no indicators of the failure.” Because the rocket launched, a stress distinction between the house beneath it and the nook the place the upkeep cabin was saved possible pulled the cabin out of the nook and threw it into the flame trench, NASASpaceFlight.com explains.

In keeping with unconfirmed rumors, after at this time’s #SoyuzMS28 launch, an emergency occurred at Pad 31: a part of the launch facility, the upkeep cabin, positioned underneath the rocket, was broken. Roscosmos has not but commented on these rumors, I additionally don’t have any further info. pic.twitter.com/LQ0uPL5Kk1

— Katya Pavlushchenko (@katlinegrey) November 27, 2025

Pictures posted on social media seem to indicate intensive harm to the upkeep cabin, suggesting that your entire platform is past restore. Roscosmos might want to set up a spare upkeep cabin or construct a brand new one to renew launches at Web site 31/6, in response to RussianSpaceWeb.com.

Roscosmos, you’re grounded

It’s unclear how lengthy it can take to get Web site 31/6 up and working once more. Preliminary estimates recommend repairs may take as much as two years, RussianSpaceWeb.com studies. Roscosmos has not shared any contingency plans to proceed cargo and crew missions to the ISS.

The upkeep cabin mishap will possible delay the launch of Progress MS-33, a Russian ISS resupply mission at the moment scheduled to elevate off on December 21. The subsequent crewed mission—Soyuz MS-29—isn’t scheduled to launch till July 2026, however it’s additionally liable to being postponed.

A lot stays unknown as we await extra info from Roscosmos, however it’s already clear that the incident has derailed its ISS launch schedule. As soon as the preliminary inspection is full, the company will start working to revive Web site 31/6 as rapidly as doable.