Severe Accident Destroys Russia's Ability to Launch Astronauts Into Space

"The November 27 launch saw the Soyuz MS-28 crew and spacecraft successfully travel to the aging orbital outpost. However, as NASASpaceflight reports, drone footage shows the platform's mobile maintenance cabin lying upside down inside the flame trench, an enormous concrete-lined ditch to redirect the rocket's flames, suggesting it slid off the platform and plummeted down to its demise."

"Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, later confirmed "damage to a number of elements of the launchpad," in a statement. "An assessment of the state of the launch complex is being conducted now," the statement reads. "All the necessary reserve elements are there to restore it and the damage will be eliminated very soon." It's a significant development, considering that only Russia's Soyuz and SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft are currently able to deliver astronauts to the space station - a major setback that could force NASA to adjust its plans, since it still sometimes contracts Russia to transport its astronauts to the ISS."

"As NASASpaceflight points out, the Baikonur Cosmodrome is Russia's only certified launch site for crewed missions to space. Two other launch platforms are either at an unsuitable latitude or not certified for crewed flights. It also won't be able to send Progress cargo ships to the space station until the launchpad is fixed - including the Progress MS-33 mission, which has been delayed from December 21 to sometime next year."

Drone footage shows the mobile maintenance cabin at Baikonur lying upside down inside the flame trench after a November 27 Soyuz launch, indicating it slid off the platform and fell. Roscosmos confirmed damage to several launchpad elements and said an assessment is underway with reserve elements available to restore the site. The damage removes Russia's ability to launch crew and Progress cargo to the ISS from Baikonur until repairs are complete. Baikonur is Russia's only crew-certified launch site; other platforms are unsuitable or not certified. Experts say the collapsed cabin is beyond repair and will require replacement.

Read at Futurism