Recent Activity
Soyuz MS-27 crewed launch to ISS completed April 2025; ongoing Progress resupply cadence to Russian segment of ISS through 2026.
Investor Brief
Only site in the world currently certified for routine Soyuz crewed flights; Russia pays Kazakhstan ~$115M/year in lease fees, locked through 2050. Strategic dependence on a foreign-territory pad is the principal driver of Vostochny development.
Ownership
Parent Entity
Regulatory Regime
Anchor Tenants
Latitude Advantage
Launch Azimuth Range
Country
🇰🇿Kazakhstan
Region
Asia
Established
1,955
Launches / Year
1,015
Years Active
71
Strategic Position
45.9649° N, 63.3052° E
Azimuth: 35°–99° (LEO, ISS-compatible 51.6° inclination, SSO)
45.96°N — moderate inclination launch site; default Soyuz/Proton azimuth places ISS at 51.6° inclination
Future Milestones
- 2027
Final ISS-bound Soyuz crew rotations as station nears retirement window
- 2028
Soyuz-5 (Irtysh) maiden flight from refurbished Zenit pad
- 2050
Russia–Kazakhstan lease agreement expires
About
Baikonur Cosmodrome is the world's first and largest operational space launch facility. Located in the Kazakh steppe, it was the departure point for Sputnik, Yuri Gagarin's historic flight, and has served as Russia's primary crewed launch site for decades. Though located in Kazakhstan, Russia leases the facility through 2050.
Key Features
World's first spaceport — operational since 1955
Site of Gagarin's launch (Pad 1) — a protected historic monument
Russia's only site for crewed Soyuz launches to the ISS
Vast complex with dozens of launch pads, many now decommissioned
Leased by Russia from Kazakhstan through 2050
Rockets That Launch Here
Companies Operating Here
Orbit Types
Notable Launches
Sputnik 1 (1957) — First artificial satellite in history
Vostok 1 (1961) — Yuri Gagarin becomes first human in space
Voskhod 2 (1965) — First spacewalk by Alexei Leonov
Buran (1988) — Soviet space shuttle's only flight
ISS Expedition crews — Decades of Soyuz crewed missions
Upcoming Launches From This Site
Next missions scheduled to fly from Baikonur Cosmodrome
- Provider
- Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)
- Rocket
- Soyuz 2.1a
- NET
- Pad
- 31/6
- Provider
- Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)
- Rocket
- Soyuz 2.1a
- NET
- Pad
- 31/6
- Provider
- Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)
- Rocket
- Soyuz 2.1a
- NET
- Pad
- 31/6
Recent Launches From This Site
Most recent missions flown from Baikonur Cosmodrome
- Soyuz 2.1a | Progress MS-16 (77P)Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)Success
- Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat-M | Arktika-M No.1Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)Success
- Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M | CAS500-1 & rideshareGK Launch ServicesSuccess
- Soyuz 2.1a | Soyuz MS-18Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)Success
- Soyuz 2.1a | Progress MS-17 (78P)Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)Success
- Proton-M | MLM NaukaKhrunichev State Research and Production Space CenterSuccess