Soyuz MS-28 Docks with ISS Following Baikonur Launch Pad Damage

The International Space Station (ISS) received three new crew members on November 27, 2025, following the successful docking of the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft. The mission utilized a rapid, fast-track rendezvous profile, temporarily increasing the orbiting laboratory's population to ten individuals.

The newly arrived contingent comprises NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, who are scheduled for an approximately eight-month expedition concluding in the summer of 2026. This transfer is executed under the standing cross-flights agreement between the American and Russian space agencies, ensuring the continuity of the station's operational schedule. The crew will integrate with the existing Expedition 73 members: NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, and Jonny Kim; JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui; and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov, Alexey Zubritsky, and Oleg Platonov.

The successful orbital maneuver contrasts with significant ground infrastructure complications reported immediately after the launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Roscosmos officials have confirmed damage sustained by Launch Pad 31, the site of the Soyuz rocket's departure. Reports indicate that the mobile service cabin, essential for crew access, collapsed into the exhaust trench following liftoff. This site has been Russia's sole operational launch pad for crewed missions to the ISS since 2018, with continuous use for human spaceflight dating back to 1961.

Despite the ground incident, the agency has stated that necessary replacement spare parts are secured, and remediation work is scheduled to commence shortly. However, experts suggest that repairs to the critical launch complex elements could require months, potentially disrupting the immediate launch cadence from this historic facility. The incident underscores the strategic importance of maintaining multiple, independent launch capabilities for sustaining the ISS program through its planned deorbit later this decade.

The transition to Expedition 74 is formally scheduled to commence on December 9, 2025, with the planned departure of the Soyuz MS-27 crew, highlighting the tightly scheduled nature of orbital operations. The ability of the United States to maintain continuous human presence in orbit, utilizing Commercial Crew vehicles, is reinforced as a critical element of risk mitigation should extended stand-down at Baikonur be required.