Kazakhstan to regain legendary 'Gagarin's start' space launch site
Russia will return the oldest and most famous launch pad in the Baikonur Cosmodrome, also known as 'Gagarin's Start,' to Kazakhstan, handing it over by 1 June.
Kazakhstan plans to turn the world's first crewed space launch site — which was decommissioned back in 2019 — into a museum.
'The Gagarin's Start was decommissioned due to its unsuitability for launching the new Soyuz-2 rockets, which are now launched from the 31st platform of the cosmodrome,' said the spokesperson for the Kazakh Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry.
To fund the site's modernisation, Russia and Kazakhstan partnered with the United Arab Emirates and signed a trilateral agreement in 2021.
However, the project stalled amid shifting geopolitical dynamics. Russia's war in Ukraine forced countries to reevaluate their partnership and the use of Soyuz-2 rockets.
In the meantime, Russia turned its attention to its own launching sites of Plesetsk and Vostochny, shifting commercial launches to one of them.
While it still leases Baikonur from Kazakhstan until 2050, it has presented Kazakhstan with a list of 234 facilities it no longer needs, to be struck from the lease agreement. According to authorities, 53 have already been accepted by the Kazakh side.
'The Russian side will continue to use the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the future. A total of nine launches were planned for 2025, of which two were completed,' the ministry said.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan continues to develop its own Baiterek space complex, though progress has been slow. Experts warn that delays, coupled with the waning relevance of Baikonur, could result in outdated infrastructure and missed economic opportunities.
The Gagarin's Start, also known as Baikonur Site 1 or Site 1/5, holds deep historical significance. In 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to journey into space from this pad. The Earth's first artificial satellite, Sputnik, was also launched from this pad.
After mulling over an upgrade, Russia's space agency Roscosmos initially proposed turning the launch pad into a museum, citing the importance of preserving the site as a global heritage site. Soon to be in charge of the project, Kazakhstan hopes to increase Baikonur's tourism potential by opening it to the public.
'Given the historical significance of the Gagarin's Start and for the purpose of developing tourism at the Baikonur complex, the Kazakh side, in collaboration with the Russian side, plans to create a museum complex dedicated to the history of space exploration,' said the statement by the Kazakh ministry.
The future museum will showcase rockets, space equipment and other artefacts from Baikonur's 70-year history.
Both sides will also work on including the launch pad in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Currently, visiting Baikonur requires a special permit issued two months in advance, limiting broader access. The ministry said it was working on reducing the time needed to obtain the access permit and develop a digital pass.
Officials hope the museum project will boost the region's domestic and international tourism.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen a series of short-range ballistic missile tests simulating tactical nuclear counter attacks against US and South Korean forces, state media have reported, as Pyongyang blamed joint military drills by its adversaries for raising tensions.
According to the Korean Central News Agency, Thursday's tests were part of training exercises aimed at enhancing the operational effectiveness of missile and rocket units under North Korea's nuclear command structure.
The launch demonstrated the "rapid counteraction posture" of the regime's forces in response to a nuclear threat, the agency said.
The tests involved a mobile ballistic missile system resembling Russia's Iskander and 600-millimetre multiple rocket launchers.
South Korean officials classify both systems as ballistic missiles due to their guided trajectories and propulsion capabilities.
Kim Jong-un reportedly emphasised the need to expand the role of nuclear forces in both deterrence and combat scenarios.
He called for enhanced military preparedness and improved precision strike capabilities, criticising joint military drills by the United States and its allieds, which North Korea views as provocative.
South Korea's military had earlier detected several launches from North Korea's eastern coast, with missiles fired between 8:10-9:20 am from the vicinity of Wonsan.
The longest-range projectile travelled approximately 800 kilometres, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Lee Sung-joon, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs, said the launches may have also served to test weapons intended for export, particularly amid suspicions that North Korea continues to provide military support to Russia in its war against Ukraine.
South Korea's Unification Ministry condemned the launches as a "clear act of provocation" and a violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
Spokesperson Kim Inae said the tests posed a threat to regional peace and stability.
Japan's Defence Minister Gen Nakatani confirmed that no missiles entered Japan's exclusive economic zone and there was no reported damage to aircraft or maritime traffic.
The launches mark North Korea's sixth known missile event this year and the first since 10 March, when the regime fired multiple projectiles in response to annual joint US-South Korea military exercises.
In a separate development, KCNA reported that Kim visited the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang on Friday to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
During the visit, he praised the "long-standing strategic relationship" between North Korea and Russia.
The weapons tests come just a day after Kim urged increased production of artillery shells, further signalling his deepening military ties with Moscow.
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