Baikonur Cosmodrome Damaged After Soyuz Launch: Russia's Space Crisis

Imagine the only bridge off an island suddenly crumbling. That's the crisis facing Russia's space program after its sole manned launch site, the Baikonur cosmodrome, suffered significant damage. Following the successful Soyuz MS-28 launch carrying a joint US-Russian crew, the pad was left in disrepair. While Russia's space agency officially claims a quick fix is possible, insiders suggest the damage could halt all manned missions from their only available site for an extended period. This setback critically exposes the fragility of Russia's aging infrastructure, already crippled by underfunding and sanctions. Ultimately, this threatens crucial crew rotations for the International Space Station and could further isolate Russia's once-dominant space program.