Overview
Baikonur Cosmodrome is the world's first and oldest spaceport, located in the desert steppe of southern Kazakhstan. From here, the Soviet Union launched the first satellite (Sputnik, 1957), the first human in space (Yuri Gagarin, 1961), and nearly every major milestone of the early Space Age. Baikonur remains operationally active, launching Soyuz crew and cargo missions to the ISS, though at a reduced cadence compared to its Cold War peak.
Facility Details
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Kyzylorda Region, Kazakhstan |
| Coordinates | 45.96°N, 63.34°E |
| Operator | Roscosmos (leased from Kazakhstan until 2050) |
| Established / First Launch | 2 June 1955 |
| Active Vehicles | Soyuz-2 (crew + cargo), Proton (being retired) |
| Launch Pads | Site 1/5 (Gagarin's Start), Site 31/6, Site 200 |
| Orbital Access | ISS (51.6°), LEO, GEO (Proton) |
| Inclination Range | ~51.6°–64.8° |
Key Pads
Site 1/5 ("Gagarin's Start"): The most historically significant launch pad in existence. Launched Sputnik (1957), Vostok 1 carrying Yuri Gagarin (1961), and has hosted hundreds of Soyuz missions. Still operational for Soyuz launches today.
Site 31/6: The primary active Soyuz pad, used for ISS crew and Progress cargo missions.
Site 200: Used for Proton rocket launches (heavy-lift missions to GEO and interplanetary trajectories). Activity has declined as Proton approaches retirement.
History
Built in secret during the Cold War, Baikonur was the Soviet Union's primary missile test range and spaceport. Its remote location in the Kazakh steppe provided vast unpopulated downrange areas and secrecy from Western intelligence. The facility's existence was not publicly confirmed until the 1960s, and the name "Baikonur" was deliberately misleading — the actual city of Baikonur is 320 km away. The cosmodrome is adjacent to the purpose-built city of Leninsk (now renamed Baikonur city).
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Baikonur became Kazakh territory. Russia has leased the facility since 1994, with the current agreement extending to 2050 at an annual cost of approximately $115 million. This dependence on a foreign nation for launch access is a key reason Russia built the Vostochny Cosmodrome on its own territory.
Current Operations
Baikonur continues to launch Soyuz crew and Progress cargo missions to the ISS, typically 4–6 times per year. The Proton heavy-lift rocket also launches from Baikonur, primarily for Russian government GEO satellites, though Proton is being phased out in favour of the Angara rocket launching from Vostochny. International sanctions since 2022 have ended Western commercial launches from Baikonur.