Kazakhstan and Russia will sell the team of the legendary but aged Baikonour Cosmodrome, whose crucial role for the Soviet, Russian aerospace industry is questioned by other projects, of other projects. Located in the steppes of Kazakhstan, Russia rents a great country in Central Asia, Baikonour until 2050 and will celebrate its 70th anniversary in early June.
The auctions will begin on June 4 with an initial commitment of around 520,000 euros, according to the government platform published by the lot. This equipment retired from the service, with large metal structures, measuring instruments and cables, comes from several launch sites.
Russian disconnection
This auction is found in the context of the questions about the continuation of the Russian investments in Baikonour, of which the first cosmonaut iouri Gagarin was sent in space in 1961.
In recent years, Russo-Kazakhe relations around Baikonour have been in love with friction, especially due to payments for the new “Baïterek” joint project, which is supposed to revive Baikonour. Moscow wishes to accelerate the development of other cosmodromos located in its territory, in particular that of Vostchny (Far East), to reduce its dependence in Baikonour.
Baikonour is the only Russian cosmodrome that cosmonauts go to the International Space Station (ISS). But the Russian disconnection of the ISS planned in 2028 also threatens the future of Baikonour, which has also lost since 2020 the monopoly of the flights inhabited to the ISS, with the arrival of Spacex.
Source: BFM TV
