Kazakhstan to regain legendary Soviet space launch site, 'Gagarin's start'

The transfer of "Gagarin's Start", the launchpad for the world's first spaceflight, will be finalised by June.

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 Experts warn that delays, coupled with the waning relevance of Baikonur, could result in outdated infrastructure and missed economic opportunities.From launch site to heritage landmarkThe Gagarin’s Start, also known as Baikonur Site 1 or Site 1/5, holds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.