Russia's Damaged Baikonur Space Launch Pad Could Be Offline For 'Months'
- By RFE/RL,
- Will Tizard and
- Mike Eckel
Damage to the Russian-operated Baikonur Cosmodrome rocket launchpad in Kazakhstan has taken the site out of commission, raising concerns over how the International Space Station could be affected. The Baikonur complex is Earth's main blastoff site for crew and cargo flights bound for the ISS and one expert says estimates for needed repair time range from an "optimistic six months" to a "pessimistic two years."