About Baikonur Cosmodrome

Overview

Manned Mission

Cargo Mission

Tour Inclusions

Baikonur

Soyuz Spacecraft

Baikonur Cosmodrome is the first and the largest operational space launch complex in the world founded by the Soviet Union back in 1955 following the ambitions space exploration plans of the country leaders. The cosmodrome is located in the steppes of Kazakhstan, about 200 kilometres (125 mi) east of the Aral Sea. Several factors influenced this location choice: remote area, low population density, availability of the railway connection (main line Moscow – Tashkent passes nearby, water supply (river Syr Darya).

The cosmodrome and the area around it is leased by the Kazakh government to the Russian Federation and is jointly managed by the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and the Russian Space Forces. The area administered by Russia is an ellipse of 90 kilometres east-west and 85 kilometres north-south.

Baikonur is also the name of the nearby town of Leninsk (renamed in 1995 by the Russian President Boris Yeltsin) constructed to service the Baikonur Cosmodrome

BAIKONUR COSMODROME INFRASTRUCTURE
The information is provided by the Russian Federal Space Agency - Roscosmos

Cosmodrome coordinates: latitude 46 grad North, longitude 63 grad 40 min East. Area (without the territory for falling rocket parts) 6717 sq. km.

Infrastructure

9 launch complexes, containing 15 launch pads for launch vehicles;
4 launch pads for intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM);
11 assembly and processing buildings with 34 technical complexes for pre-launch maintenance of launch vehicles and spacecrafts; and 3 charging and neutralising stations to provide space vehicles and boosters with components of rocket propellants and compressed gases;
measuring flight control complex;
oxygen and nitrogen production plant with total cryogenic product output up to 300,000 kg per day;
heating and electric power plant of 60 MW;
gas turbine power train of 72 MW;
600 transformer substations;
92 communication centres;
first-class aerodromes («Krainiy» and «Ybileiniy» at complex for reusable spacecraft «Buran»);
470 km of railroad (special railroad – 40 km);
1281 km of motor road;
6610 km of electric power lines;
2784 km of communication lines.

BAIKONUR LOCATION ON THE MAP

View Baikonur Cosmodrome in a larger map