Russian launch pad 31 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome has been damaged. This could disrupt the supply schedule for the International Space Station.
The accident occurred during the launch of the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft to the ISS from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The Soyuz-2.1a rocket was damaged during lift-off from the launch pad. Judging by the live broadcast footage, the service cabin located under the launch pad and designed to provide access to the lower stages of the rocket collapsed. It is deployed during operations and retracted into a concrete niche before launch.
Launch pad number 31 is currently the only Russian launch complex suitable for manned launches of Soyuz spacecraft. It is also used to launch Progress supply vehicles.
At this point, it is unknown how serious the damage is and how it may affect the ISS. Prolonged repairs to the complex could disrupt the station’s supply schedule and crew rotation. The next launch from launch pad 31 (Progress MS-33) is scheduled for December 19.
It is worth noting that Roscosmos has acknowledged the accident. However, its official statement claims that all the necessary spare parts are available to repair the launch complex and that the damage will be repaired in the near future.
As for the Soyuz MS-28, it did not sustain any damage. The spacecraft has already successfully docked with the ISS.
