Russia just launched a rocket from a site that was out of commission since last November. This is a pretty big deal, especially since that launchpad is their main way to send people to the International Space Station (ISS).
Last year, part of Site 31 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome actually collapsed during a launch. That put a pause on Russia sending cosmonauts into orbit. But Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, quietly finished repairs this month.
Over the weekend, they sent an unmanned Progress MS-33 cargo ship to the ISS from the newly fixed pad. Roscosmos even released a video showing the rocket soaring into space, calling the flight "normal."
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Start Your News DetoxNow, here's the kicker: NASA did point out that an antenna on the cargo ship, which helps it dock, didn't pop out quite right. But hey, they also said everything else on the ship was working perfectly, and it's still on its way to the ISS.
This launch means Russia's back in the game for crewed missions from their primary site. The Baikonur Cosmodrome, located in Kazakhstan, is leased by Russia until at least 2050. Getting Site 31 back up and running is a significant step, especially after a few bumps in their space program lately.
