MOSCOW – Russian space officials announced Tuesday they have successfully completed restoration work on a crucial launch platform at Kazakhstan’s Baikonur cosmodrome that suffered extensive damage during a November mission, according to Russian state media reports.
The launch facility sustained significant harm when a Russian Soyuz MS-28 vehicle carrying two Russian crew members and one American astronaut lifted off in November.
State news outlet RIA reported that Roscosmos confirmed the restored platform’s inaugural mission is planned for March 22.
Although Russia operates additional space facilities within its borders and Baikonur contains multiple launch sites, the damaged platform – designated as number 31 – serves as the sole facility capable of supporting both Soyuz rocket and crew capsule missions, as well as unmanned Progress cargo flights that are essential for International Space Station operations.
