Russia Successfully Launches Soyuz Rocket From Repaired Baikonur Launchpad, but a Glitch in the Cargo Spaceship May Force Cosmonaut to Manually Dock It on the ISS
Space exploration is a tough endeavor, filled with danger.
Back On November 27, 2025, an accident significantly damaged the Russian Baikonur Cosmodrome, during the lift-off of a rocket.
According to media reports, today, a service cabin crashed at Baikonur Cosmodrome during launch towards the International Space Station.
According to various sources and experts, this incident has left Russia unable to launch astronauts into space – for the first time since… pic.twitter.com/C6b0O9fiVU
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) November 27, 2025
Even with the accident, the crew successfully arrived at the ISS.
Soyuz spacecraft crew ARRIVES at the ISS
American astronaut Christopher Williams is first through the hatch, followed by Russian cosmonauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev
Smiles and hugs all round – and some very expensive camera equipment floating in zero gravity https://t.co/or5KPDi0iX pic.twitter.com/SXc4kk45Ug
— RT (@RT_com) November 27, 2025
Today, after months of repairs on Baikonur, the Russian space agency Roscosmos successfully launched a Soyuz rocket with an uncrewed Progress Cargo Spacecraft atop it, headed to the International Space Station.
Russian rocket successfully launches from Baikonur
The Soyuz-2.1a launch vehicle, carrying the Progress MS-33 cargo spacecraft, is now heading toward the ISS
On board: about 2.5 tons of cargo — including 52 kg of scientific equipment and 12 kg of medical supplies pic.twitter.com/bWymxCQfmS
— RT (@RT_com) March 22, 2026
But the celebrations turned out to be short-lived, as it soon became known that a glitch in the Progress ship may make the mission considerably harder.
Space.com reported:
“A Soyuz rocket topped with the robotic Progress 94 freighter lifted off from the Russia-run Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Sunday at 7:59 a.m. EDT.
The launch went well, but Progress 94 suffered an issue shortly after deploying from its rocket ride: One of the antennas it’s supposed to use for automatic docking did not deploy, according to NASA.”
Following launch, one of the Progress spacecraft’s antennas used for automatic docking did not deploy as planned. All other systems are operating as designed, and Progress will continue toward its planned docking at 9:34 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, March 22. Troubleshooting will… pic.twitter.com/VoR2yiAWfC
— NASA (@NASA) March 22, 2026
“’All other systems are operating as designed, and Progress will continue toward its planned docking at 9:34 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, March 22’, agency officials said via X on Sunday. ‘Troubleshooting will continue and if the antenna cannot be deployed, Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov will manually pilot the spacecraft through a backup system for rendezvous and docking at the space station’.”
The Progress 94 ship carries 3 tons of food, propellant and other supplies to the astronauts (and cosmonauts) currently on board the International Space Station (ISS).
The cargo capsule is expected to dock with the ISS’s Poisk module on Tuesday morning.
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