Russia fixes launch pad damaged by Thanksgiving astronaut launch to the International Space Station

Late last year, a Soyuz rocket launched three astronauts to orbit from the Russia-run Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

But there was more “blast” to the Nov. 27 blastoff than intended. The launch damaged Site 31 at Baikonur, Russia’s only active pad that supports crewed liftoffs to the International Space Station (ISS).

As clean-up crews at the pad did their post-launch inspections, “damage to several launch pad components was identified,” officials with Russia’s space agency Roscosmos said in a statement at the time.

“The launch pad’s condition is currently being assessed,” Roscosmos stated, adding that “all necessary spare components are available for repair, and the damage will be repaired shortly.”

Site 31’s “service cabin” was severely damaged, leaving the entire launch infrastructure unavailable for use.

The true implications of the blast marks on Russia’s rocketry ego remained vague. Perhaps there was an unusual slip in quality control, suggested some outside experts. Whatever the cause, the outcome was unwelcome: a grounding of Russian crewed flights to the ISS.

But rockets will soon start flying from Site 31 again, if all goes to plan.

Taking care of business

On Tuesday (March 3), Roscosmos announced that Site 31 has been repaired.

More than 150 employees from the agency’s Center for Operation of Space Ground-Based Infrastructure and representatives from four contractors have wrapped up work at the damaged launch pad.

“2,350 square meters [25,300 square feet] of structures were prepared and painted, all fastening units were replaced with new ones, electrical equipment was completely replaced and adjusted, inspection and maintenance of service cabin components and mechanisms were carried out, and more than 250 linear meters [820 feet] of welds were completed,” Roscosmos said in a statement, according to Interfax.

The most challenging task, Roscosmos explained, was installing some of the cabin’s over-60-foot-long (19 m), 17-ton components, which were installed through the firing aperture. A special technique was developed for this patch-up.

Next launch

Meanwhile, the newly repaired launch pad at Baikonur is being readied to handle its next booster departure.

Now on the launch list — originally scheduled for departure in late 2025 — is an uncrewed Progress MS-33 cargo spacecraft.

Set for a March 22 takeoff, the Progress will dock with and resupply the International Space Station.