Roscosmos has launched intensive repairs on Baikonur's Launch Pad 31 after structural damage was found following the November Soyuz MS-28 launch. The agency is replacing the pad's critical "service cabin," with more than 130 specialists working in two shifts and spare parts already on site. Testing will follow installation, and Roscosmos has given timelines that suggest the pad could be back in use by February, though it also cited readiness "by the end of winter 2026," creating an apparent timing discrepancy.
Roscosmos Races to Repair Baikonur Pad 31 After Soyuz MS-28 Launch; Service Cabin Replacement Underway
Russia's space agency Roscosmos has begun intensive repairs on Launch Pad 31 at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan after the facility sustained significant damage during the November launch of Soyuz MS-28. Although the liftoff was successful and the crew reached orbit, post-launch inspections uncovered structural damage that must be fixed before the pad can host further crewed or cargo missions.
What Was Damaged
Roscosmos identified the pad's service cabin — a critical platform located beneath the pad's upper level that supports Soyuz crewed launches and Progress cargo flights — as a primary area requiring replacement. Pad 31 is the only Baikonur complex capable of handling both the Soyuz crewed spacecraft and the cargo-only Progress vehicle, which are important for missions to the International Space Station (ISS).
Repair Effort Underway
The agency said more than 130 specialists are working on the restoration in two shifts, operating from 8 a.m. to midnight. All required spare parts are already on site and being prepared for assembly. Once the new service cabin is installed, systems and launch infrastructure will undergo testing before the pad is cleared to resume operations.
"Work on restoring the service cabin and launch pad is being carried out at full speed," said Dmitry Baranov, Deputy General Director of Roscosmos.
Timetable And Notes
Roscosmos told reporters the facility "should be back in use by February of next year." The agency also said, according to its confirmed timetable, the pad is expected to be ready to support its first launch "by the end of winter 2026." The two statements create an apparent timing discrepancy in the public reporting; Roscosmos has not provided a single clarified date beyond these reported timelines.
Although Russia has other cosmodromes on its own territory and Baikonur contains additional launch complexes, Pad 31's unique ability to support Soyuz and Progress missions makes the repair important for sustained access to the ISS. Reuters reported the developments from Moscow on Dec. 16. (Reporting by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Ros Russell)
