Russia accidentally destroys its only way of sending astronauts to space
How Russia ruined its only way of sending astronauts into space
- Russia's only crewed-mission launch site, the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, suffered major damage following a rocket launch on Thursday.
- This incident marks the first time since 1961 that Russia has lost the ability to launch humans into space, as the site requires extensive repairs.
- Despite the damage to the launchpad, the Soyuz MS-28 mission was successful, with its three-person crew safely reaching the International Space Station (ISS).
- Roscosmos confirmed that parts of the launchpad collapsed into an exhaust trench due to the rocket's blast, and an assessment of the damage is ongoing.
- Analysts have raised concerns about the repair timeline, noting the destruction of critical components, which could impact Russia's future independent orbital station plans.