Baikonur Cosmodrome

Proton Lift-off, Site 200, Baikonur

2004-10 (C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Proton before Lift-off, Site 200, Baikonur

2004-10 (C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Site 31, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Proton Launch Vehicle, Site 200, Baikonur

2004-10 (C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Payload Processing Area, Site 31, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Proton Launch, Site 81, Baikonur

2003-11 (C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Soyuz Launch Pad, Site 1, Baikonur

2004-05 (C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Site 31, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Museum, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Baikonur Cosmodrome

Baikonur Cosmodrome is the largest space launch center in the world. A total of 16 launches were performed in 2006 using Soyuz, Proton, Zenit, Cyclon launch vehicles.

World's launch record in 2006

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Baikonur Cosmodrome includes:

• 9 launch facilities including 15 launch pads for launch vehicles;

• 11 assembly and checkout facilities for assembling and testing of spacecraft, launch vehicles and upper stages;

• 3 fueling- neutralization stations for fueling of spacecraft and upper stage;

• Telemetry Tracking and Command facility and data processing facility;

• oxygen and nitrogen plant, and heat and power plant.

Baikonur: Geographical Location and Transportation

Baikonur Cosmodrome

Courtesy of Kosmotras and Anatoly Zak/RussianSpaceWeb.com

Baikonur Cosmodrome

An124 at Yubileiny Airport, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Bus with Escort at Yubileiny Airport, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Geographical Location

Baikonur Cosmodrome is located in Kazakhstan east of the Aral Sea (63 E and 46 N) in the semiarid zone with sharply continental climate. Typical for this area are hot dry summers and frosty winters with strong winds and little precipitation. In summer temperature can rise up to +45 deg C, and in winter it can drop down to -40 deg C. Yearly average temperature is about +13 deg C.

The cosmodrome is sufficiently far away from large population areas. This ensures safety of the launches and provides buffer areas used as launch vehicle drop zones.

Transportation

The cosmodrome is connected with other cities and countries by air, rail and automobile transportation. There is an network of motor and railroads in the territory of the cosmodrome.

There are two airports, Yubileiny and Krayniy. Both can accommodate modern cargo and passenger planes. Yubileiny can accommodate large planes including An124. Krayniy is connected with Moscow by regular flights.

Buses, minivans and sedan cars are available for the transportation of personnel. The presence of local escorts to accompany transport

vehicles in Baikonur is a must.

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Baikonur City: Residential Area

Residential Area, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Residential Area, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Church, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Computer Shop, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Post and Telecommunications Office, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Main Street, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Disco Luna, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Market, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Main Street, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Soyuz Monument, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Market, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Syrdarya River, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Residential Area and Life Lines

The residential area of the cosmodrome is a town of Baikonur located on the right bank of the Syrdarya River. Directly adjacent to the town are the town of Turatam and the railway station of the same name.

The town provides centralized water (hot and cold) and electric power (state-owned) supply. The electric power is 220V with 50Hz, which is NIS-standard for domestic electrical devices. The town has a movie theatre, a stadium, a swimming pool, a TV center, medical facilities, as well as international telephone, telex and facsimile facilities. Some GSM-900 cellular telephone can be used in major area of the cosmodrome and town.

ATMs and exchange offices are available in Baikonur for currency exchange and cash withdrawal. Both Russian and Kazakhstan currencies are accepted. Most payments are made by cash.

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Syrdarya River in summer

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Accommodations

Bedroom, Cosmonaut Hotel, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Cosmonaut Hotel, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Conference Room, Cosmonaut Hotel, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Sputnik Hotel, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Riverside Monument of Proton, Cosmonaut Hotel, Baikonur

(C) Ken Ikebe

Busuness Center, Cosmonaut Hotel, Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Accommodations

Visitors can stay in several hotels. Accommodations are offered for spacecraft processing specialists and

launch guests at Sputnik, Baikonur and Cosmonaut hotels located in the northern part of the town. All Russian and foreign cosmonauts stay at Cosmonaut hotel during preparation for space flight. The rooms have air conditioning, a television set, a refrigerator and a bath room.

Visitors for Proton launch often stay in the hotels in the north west area of Cosmodrome (called Proton village) near Site 92 satellite processing area which is far from the residential area.

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A Hotel in Proton Village , Baikonur

(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Natural Environment

Flowers in Desert, Baikonur

(C) Ken Ikebe

Flowers in Baikonur

2007-04 (C) Alexander Svotin

Flowers in Baikonur

2007-04 (C) Alexander Svotin

Flowers in Baikonur

2007-04 (C) Alexander Svotin

Flowers in Baikonur Cosmodrome

Although Baikonur Cosmodrome is very dry, several different flowers are seen in spring. Some insects such as dragonflies are also seen, even inside a large building facility.

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