Russia and Kazakhstan need to implement new projects within the framework of cooperation on the Baikonur Cosmodrome. This was reported to journalists in the office of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov following the seventh meeting of the Russian-Kazakh intergovernmental commission on the Baikonur complex.
"It is important to fill our cooperation with new projects that allow to speak with confidence of the long-term and efficient use of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, such as the project of creation of the Baiterek Space Center that has already entered its implementation phase," Borisov said in the message.
He reminded that Russia and Kazakhstan legally fixed the mutual interest in extending the Baikonur spaceport lease agreement till 2050.
"The next step is the ratification of an intergovernmental agreement on the provision and conditions of use of a land plot on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan as the fall area for the separating parts of rockets during launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, which will expand the use of launch vehicles such as Soyuz-5," he added.
The office of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation noted that Baikonur retains the status of one of the most "launching" cosmodromes in the world. "For more than three years, all launches from Baikonur have been successful and accident-free. In 2021 there were 12 launches from the cosmodrome and two more launches are planned by the end of the year," the statement said.
The seventh meeting of the intergovernmental commission on the Baikonur complex Yuri Borisov held in Nur-Sultan together with the Co-Chairman, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Roman Sklyar.
About Baiterek project
The joint Russian-Kazakh project Baiterek includes the creation of ground-based space infrastructure on the basis of Zenit-M rocket to launch the advanced Soyuz-5 rocket. The launch vehicle is being built using Russian public funds, while the ground infrastructure (the launch and technical complex and staff training facilities) is being funded by Kazakhstan. Front end engineering design of the Baiterek booster is complete, and reconstruction of the ground infrastructure has begun. Bazis Construction will do the design documentation, construction and erection work.
At the same time the enterprises of the Roscosmos state corporation manufacture and test the prototypes of the Soyuz-5 rocket to provide the beginning of flight tests of the complex in 2023. Borisov reminded that great attention is also paid to the vital activity of Baikonur and provision of comfortable living conditions for its citizens within the framework of the Baikonur complex. A long-term program for the city's development has been approved.
In 2018, a protocol on amending the agreement between the governments of Kazakhstan and Russia on the creation of the Baiterek complex on Baikonur, dated December 22, 2004, was signed. It defines the responsibilities of the parties under the project, the withdrawal from lease and the transfer to the Kazakh side of the ground-based space infrastructure facilities of the Zenit-M complex for modernization. Kazakhstan is responsible for the creation of ground infrastructure by modernizing the Zenit-M launch vehicle. Russia is developing Soyuz-5 and Soyuz-6 launch vehicles that it plans to launch from there. The first launch is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2023. The launch complex will be called Nazarbayev Launch.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Federation Council
Based on materials from TASS