Skip to content
General-news — Space-and-astronomy — Launched — 2025 — Artefacts — Science — Finance — Leases — Technology — Kazakh — Lifestyle

Kazakhstan to reclaim historic Soviet space launch pad, once known as 'Gagarin's Launch Point'

North Korea's missile launches denounced as a provocative action; suspected arms sales to Russia implicated.

,   and  Administrator
3 min read
North Korea's missile launches deemed as 'provocative' by South Korea; suspected weapons sales to...
North Korea's missile launches deemed as 'provocative' by South Korea; suspected weapons sales to Russia are also mentioned.

Kazakhstan to reclaim historic Soviet space launch pad, once known as 'Gagarin's Launch Point'

Rewritten Article:

Headline: Baikonur Cosmodrome to Send Off "Gagarin's Start" by June, Plans for Museum Ahead

Social Media Handles: Facebook Twitter Flipboard LinkedIn Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp

Launch into a Museum! Russia is set to hand over "Gagarin's Start," the inaugural cosmic launchpad, to Kazakhstan by June 1st.

Kazakhstan is taking the legendary world's first human crewed space launch site and transforming it into a museum. The site, formerly decommissioned in 2019 due to the unsuitability for lining up the newer Soyuz-2 rockets, will now tell a riveting story of space exploration.

The partnership between Russia, Kazakhstan, and the United Arab Emirates, formed to bankroll the site's modernization, hit a snag due to the political landscape shifting. Russia diverted its focus to other launch sites like Plesetsk and Vostochny, moving commercial launches there instead.

Russia continues to rent Baikonur until 2050, but they've also proposed offloading 234 superfluous facilities to Kazakhstan, with 53 already accepted. The ministry has confirmed a total of nine launches scheduled for 2025, with two already completed.

While Kazakhstan progresses with its space complex, Baiterek, delays could spell outdated infrastructure and missed economic opportunities.

A Moonshot Mission to a Museum

The Gagarin's Start, or Site 1/5, boasts a rich, historical significance. It was the launchpad for Yuri Gagarin's maiden voyage into space in 1961 and the location of Earth's first artificial satellite, Sputnik. Plans to refurbish this iconic landmark began floating around, with a potential museum conversion in the works, as per Roscosmos. Kazakhstan is gearing up to unlock the site's tourist potential, and the upcoming museum complex could display rockets, space equipment, and other trinkets from Baikonur's 70-year space odyssey.

To join forces on the museum project, both sides are aiming to include the launch pad in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The intricate process of obtaining the necessary access permits and creating a digital pass has started to move forward to enhance international and domestic tourism opportunities.

Quick Facts:

  • First human spaceflight: 12th April 1961, launched from the Gagarin's Start
  • First artificial satellite launch: Sputnik, 4th October 1957, launched from the Gagarin's Start
  • Location: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

Additional Reading:

  • Astana Plays Host to a Stunning Military Parade for WWII 80th Anniversary
  • The Epic Battle for Central Asia's New Silk Roads
  • Tackling Deepfakes: Insights from the Central Asian Media Forum
  1. By June 1st, Baikonur Cosmodrome will send off "Gagarin's Start," marking the launch of a transformed museum celebrating space exploration.
  2. The Kazakh government is planning to invest in environmental-science and education-and-self-development by utilizing the rich history of the former space launch site, which is set to display artefacts from the 70-year space odyssey of Baikonur Cosmodrome.
  3. Russia is leasing out 234 superfluous facilities at Baikonur Cosmodrome to Kazakhstan, with 53 facilities already accepted, while continuing to focus on other launch sites like Plesetsk and Vostochny for commercial launches.
  4. The Gagarin's Start, where the first human spaceflight and the launch of the first artificial satellite occurred, is now aiming for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a part of the joint museum project with Russia.
  5. The upcoming museum complex will likely attract tourists and boost general-news coverage as visitors explore the site's history and learn about the scientific advancements in space-and-astronomy, lifestyle, and technology that took place there.
  6. The timely completion of the permits process and development of a digital pass are crucial for unlocking the full tourist potential of the Gagarin's Start museum, ensuring it stays relevant amidst rapid technological and environmental changes, as well as for capitalizing on the economic opportunities that come with it.

Read also:

    Related

    Latest