"Who's the Last One?" - Construction of a New Rocket and Space Complex Enters the Finish Line

As it became known, the joint Russian-Kazakhstani project for the construction of the new rocket and space complex "Baiterek" is entering the "finishing stretch". At the moment, lists of those wishing to carry out commercial launches of spacecraft from there have already begun to be formed. This was reported by the Russian Ambassador to Kazakhstan - Mr. Borodavkin.


The agreement between our countries on the construction of a new infrastructure facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, aimed at launching the most environmentally friendly launch vehicles, was signed back in 2004. The facility was scheduled to be completed in 2021, but due to certain reasons, the deadlines were repeatedly postponed.


At present, the Russian Federation continues to work on the construction of the complex in a planned manner. In the autumn, equipment was delivered to the site, which had previously successfully passed factory tests. The development of the promising Soyuz-5 launch vehicle, which is planned to be launched from there, continues.

The ground infrastructure facilities of the Zenit-M complex, according to the amendments made to the government agreement in 2018, were transferred to the Kazakh side, which bears full responsibility for its modernization for the new Russian medium-class launch vehicle Soyuz-5. This promising two-stage launch vehicle has an increased payload capacity and is capable of launching up to 17 kg of payload into orbit. It is expected that it will be used to launch automatic spacecraft.


The first prototype of the launch vehicle is currently in production. The first stage engine, the liquid RD-171 MV, has already been delivered to the Progress Rocket and Space Center, and the four-chamber oxygen-hydrogen power plant RD-0124MS, used in the second stage of the Soyuz-5 space launch vehicle, should be delivered by the end of the year. Flight tests are also scheduled to begin at the same time.