Established in 1955, the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan can officially be considered not only as the world’s first but also as the longest-operating spaceport. What once was a technological wonder of the Soviet Union has come a long way and while celebrating its 70th anniversary, change is on its way.
While the Baikonur Cosmodrome is located in the Kazakh steppe, since 2005 and until 2050, it is being leased by Russia and managed by Roscosmos and the Russian Aerospace Forces. Every year, more than 20 rockets lift off from the site and it is especially important given the fact that it is the only spaceport from where Russian missions to the International Space Station are launched.
However, despite the fact that the Baikonur Cosmodrome continues to be used for launches, fifty decommissioned facilities have so far been handed back over to Kazakhstan. And the country has big plans for the site.
🚀 Today, #Baikonur Cosmodrome turns 7️⃣0️⃣!
— Russia 🇷🇺 (@Russia) June 2, 2025
The world's first & one of the largest spaceports saw #Sputnik, #Belka & #Strelka & first man in space Yury #Gagarin, as well as other ~150 other cosmonauts & astronauts, venture into space
🛰 ~5'000 launches were made from its grounds pic.twitter.com/TpjadhgGRb
The Baikonur Cosmodrome is home to historically important locations such as Gagarin’s launchpad – where Yuri Gagarin performed the first human spaceflight on Vostok 1 in 1961. As they are no longer in use and are thus being transferred to Kazakhstan, the government is now signing them over to the national aerospace committee company to prepare a new future: space tourism.
“In the future, the Kazakh side can turn it into a tourist site — a place where visitors can come, explore, and connect with the history of the very launchpad from which the first human journeyed into space, from Kazakh soil,” the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan at the Baikonur Complex, Kairat Nurtay, told Euronews.
As of September, the tourism transformation of the Cosmodrome should be approved, paving the way for all kinds of projects, such as hotels, glampings, and immersive activities. A consortium was has already been established between Kazakh Tourism and the state-owned Infracos enterprise in order to facilitate the development of space tourism, astro-tourism, and cultural tourism.
#FirstInSpace
— Russian Embassy in USA 🇷🇺 (@RusEmbUSA) April 12, 2025
👨🚀 On April 12, 1961 — 6️⃣4️⃣ years ago — Soviet cosmonaut Yuri #Gagarin became the First man in space!
🚀 #Vostok1 spacecraft launched from Baikonur at 9:07 a.m. MSK, made one full orbit & landed at 10:55 — the most important 108 mins in history!#Gagarin1961 pic.twitter.com/HdJlL0d0gq
One plan, several parts
Before commencing the development, however, all decommissioned facilities will need to be inspected for safety. Some buildings – including Gagarin’s launchpad and the Assembly and Fueling Complex – will be renovated or rebuilt in order to put together an open air museum where people can get to know the 70-year long history of the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
“At the moment, we are developing four areas of ground-based space tourism. The first is educational tours. The second is cultural and discovery-based tours. The third focuses on event-driven tourism. And the fourth includes adventure and active tours — possibly in the form of large-scale road trips like drive forums, and so on. As for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism, there are many exciting event formats around the world that could be brought here,” says said Chief Manager of the Management Board Chairman’s Office at Kazakh Tourism, Leila Bakytova.
At Baikonur Cosmodrome Museum: computer used by Mission Control during Gagarin's flight in 1961. Old school! pic.twitter.com/NpWxhCjT
— David Saint-Jacques (@Astro_DavidS) July 14, 2012
While the new plans take the tourism side of the Cosmodrome to a whole new level, it is not the first tourist-centred project to take place at the site. In 2024, Kazakhstan already built a yurt, located at a viewing platform near Baikonur’s 31st launch pad. This allows groups of guests to watch rocket launches up close and in 2025, tourists have already been able to witness three launches. Moreover, the complex already has a museum, which includes the former residences of rocket engineer Sergei Korolev and first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.
Expanding the scale of the project could mean that the Cosmodrome could welcome up to 50,000 visitors a year by 2029, five times the current visitor number.
“It would be amazing if people could witness a rocket launch with their own eyes — to feel, even for a moment, like Korolev himself, giving the command to launch. Thanks to new technologies, visitors could simulate the experience of launching a rocket from the control centre. Even if it’s on screens or in virtual form, they could still take part — immersed in the soundscape, surrounded by multimedia effects, perhaps even observing astronauts, robots, or mission teams at work. The idea is to make them feel like part of the crew,” museum expert Rinat Kutdussov explained to Euronews.
'Fragment of an Exhibit Hall at the Museum of Soviet Cosmonautics at the Baikonur Cosmodrome'
— Mia Bennett (@cryopolitics) August 29, 2024
Saulesh Yessenova, 2017 #Baikonur pic.twitter.com/I75GVNciIR
As commercial space tourism takes off, Kazakhstan has big ambitions. By 2028, the government wants to commercialise Soyuz rocket launches. According to Baubek Oralmagambetov, Chairman of the Aerospace Committee, the first test flight is scheduled by the end of 2025, with at least two more tests planned before the commercialisation in 2028.
