- Russia sent three astronauts into space on Thursday, but damaged its launchpad during liftoff.
- The pad, Russia’s only site for crewed launches, appears to have lost its service bay.
- Video recorded officially after the liftoff revealed scorched remnants of the structure sitting in a channel where exhaust had been directed.
The only Russian spaceport used to launch crewed missions experienced significant damage following a rocket launch on Thursday.
Footage of the incident from Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency, revealing that a section of the framework gave way and plunged into a sizable channel designed to vent fumes underneath.
On Thursday, Roscosmos informed state-affiliated news outlets that the launch site in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, had sustained damage, though they refrained from detailing the severity.
The launch itself, which sent a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station, was successful, and none of the three astronauts on board were harmed.
Nevertheless, video from Roscosmos seems to indicate that the service bay situated beneath the launchpad was knocked loose when the Soyuz rocket ignited its booster engines against it.
A video clip of the launch, published by state media, showed debris flying up from the trench as the rocket’s exhaust plume flared, which could indicate an explosion or structural collapse.
Another overhead shot of the aftermath, from Roscosmos, then showed the charred remains of a large structure lying in the facility’s exhaust trench.
In the meantime, video taken of the launch platform right before the rocket took off revealed that the channel underneath had been clear.
The service bay is a platform situated close to the base of the launchpad. It contains essential cables, sensors, and other devices. It also serves as a workspace for technicians working on the rocket’s tail.
The reason the service bay became detached is unknown, as is the estimated repair time. Roscosmos hasn’t yet commented, as the request was sent when they were closed.
“The launch complex’s condition is currently being assessed,” the agency told state media. “All necessary backup components are available for restoration, and the damage will be repaired soon.”
The Soyuz spacecraft carried two Russian astronauts and one NASA astronaut, Chris Williams, who arrived safely at the International Space Station.
Business Insider’s request for comment to NASA, submitted after normal working hours, went unanswered.
Site 31/6 is Russia’s only crewed launchpad
The damage from Thursday stands to disrupt operations at Russia’s only launchpad for crewed space missions.
This specific launch complex, designated Site 31/6, was constructed during the 1960s at the.Baikonur spaceport, a site dating back to the Soviet Union which Russia rents from Kazakhstan.
Baikonur Cosmodrome features a backup launch area called Site 1, also referred to as Gagarin’s Start. This is the location from which Russia initiated its space missions.famed cosmonaut Yuri GagarinThe location was used for humanity’s inaugural journey into space. Launch Complex 1, operational since the 1950s, was retired from space launches in 2019.
The United Arab Emirates signed an agreement of interest in 2021 to fund the modernization of the older pad, though the deal likely fell through. Russian authorities announced in 2023 that they would turn Gagarin’s Start into a museum.
Russia is also building a new spaceport, the Vostochny Cosmodrome, in its territory, but has yet to complete the infrastructure for crewed launches.
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