ATechnologyIndependent states
Baikonur Cosmodrome
The world's first and largest spaceport, from which the first satellite and Gagarin's flight were launched.
Baikonur was built in 1955 on the steppe by the Syr Darya in Kyzylorda Region. The world's first artificial satellite was launched from here on 4 October 1957, and Yuri Gagarin's spacecraft on 12 April 1961.
After independence Kazakhstan leased the cosmodrome and the town of Baikonur to Russia until 2050. For many years crewed Soyuz flights to the International Space Station launched only from here.
Kazakh cosmonauts Toktar Aubakirov (1991), Talgat Musabayev and Aidyn Aimbetov (2015) also flew from Baikonur, and Kazakhstan is developing its own Baiterek launch complex there.
Sources
Updated: October 2, 2026