The Baikonur Cosmodrome, Russia’s historic and only launch site for crewed space missions, has reportedly sustained damage following a high-profile joint space launch with the United States. Russia’s state space agency, Roscosmos, confirmed that the facility suffered structural damage during the launch of the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft, which carried Russian and American astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).

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Soyuz MS-28 Mission: A Successful Launch Amid Concerns

On November 27, 2025, the Soyuz MS-28 mission successfully lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 12:28 PM Moscow time (09:27 GMT). The spacecraft was crewed by Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev, along with NASA astronaut Chris Williams.

Despite the reported damage to the launch site, the spacecraft docked safely with the ISS later that day. The crew is reported to be in good health and ready to begin their 242-day mission, which includes over 40 scientific experiments and two extravehicular activities (spacewalks). They are scheduled to return to Earth in July 2026.

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Baikonur Cosmodrome Damage: Official vs. Unofficial Reports

Following the launch, Roscosmos stated that an inspection revealed damage to several elements of the launchpad. The agency assured the public that “all necessary reserve elements are available to restore the site, and the damage will be repaired very soon.”

However, Russian space analysts and bloggers have expressed concerns that the situation may be more serious than the official statements suggest.

• Rocket analyst Georgy Trishkin claimed that the service cabin collapsed, with parts of the structure falling on Launchpad 31, potentially affecting future operations.
• Space journalist Vitaly Egorov highlighted visible damage during the official broadcast, including a metal structure displaced in the gas exhaust tray, indicating possible long-term operational disruptions.

If the Baikonur Cosmodrome were rendered inoperative, it would mark the first time Russia loses its capability to launch humans into space since 1961.

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Importance of Baikonur Cosmodrome in Russia’s Space Program

Located in the Russian-leased city of Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the Cosmodrome has been central to Russia’s crewed space missions for decades. Once a symbol of national pride, Russia’s space program has faced years of underfunding and corruption scandals, yet it continues to play a critical role in international space exploration.

Despite geopolitical tensions and strained relations between Moscow and Washington, space collaboration remains one of the few areas of active US-Russia cooperation. The Soyuz MS-28 mission is a testament to this continued partnership, even as other Western collaborations with Roscosmos have halted due to sanctions related to the Ukraine conflict.

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What’s Next for Baikonur and the Soyuz Program

Roscosmos is currently assessing the full extent of the damage and has pledged to restore the launch complex quickly. Meanwhile, the Soyuz MS-28 crew will focus on their long-term research mission aboard the ISS.

The incident underscores the fragility of Russia’s crewed space capabilities and the importance of maintaining infrastructure like Baikonur to ensure continued access to low Earth orbit.

Analysts will be closely monitoring updates from Roscosmos in the coming weeks to determine when the Cosmodrome will be fully operational and how this may affect future missions.