Baikonur Cosmodrome

Baikonur Cosmodrome (Russian: Космодро́м Байкону́р, romanized: Kosmodrom Baykonur; Kazakh: Байқоңыр ғарыш айлағы, romanized: Bayqoñ'yr ğar'yş aylağ'y) is a spaceport in southern Kazakhstan. It is the first and most active space port in the world. It is leased to Russia until 2050, and is managed by Roskosmos and the Russian aerospace forces. It was built by the Soviet Union in the late 1950s. There are many commercial, military and scientific rocket launches each year All crewed Russian spaceflights are launched from Baikonur. Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, was launched from Baikonur in 1957. Vostok 1, the first human spaceflight, was also launched from Baikonur, carrying Yuri Gagarin. The launchpad used for both of these missions was renamed Gagarin's Start. References