Kazakh space program

The space program of Kazakhstan is originated from the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, when Kazakhstan declared their independence. The Kazakh space program consist of cosmonaut and satellite missions. The only launch site situated at Kazakhstan is Baikonur Cosmodrome, which is leased to Russia. The program is led by KazCosmos since 2007.

History

The first Kazakh person to go to space is Toktar Aubakirov in 1991, followed by Talgat Musabayev in 1994.[1] On 7 January 2000, the government of Kazakhstan decreed it would form a cosmonaut corps.[2] Out of 2000 candidates, two were selected, Aidyn Aimbetov and Mukhtar Aymakhanov, in 2002.[3] Aymakhanov left Kazakhstan in 2012 to become a Russian citizen to pursue a cosmonaut career.[4] Aimbetov was selected for Soyuz TMA-18M/Soyuz TMA-16M in June 2015.

On 18 June 2006, the KazSat-1 was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome, marking the beginning of Kazakhstan's independent inflight space operations.[5] In 2008 communications with the satellite ended, and it was declared lost.[6] The next satellite, KazSat-2, experienced a series of delays, but was launched on 16 July 2011 on board a Proton rocket. KazSat-2 was built by Krunichev and Thales Alenia Space.[7] KazCosmos signed a contract with ISS-Reshetnev and Thales Alenia Space Italy on 21 June 2011 for the third telecommunications satellite, named KazSat-3 and launched it in 2014. Two more satellites, KazEOSat 2 and Al Farabi-1, were launched in 29 June 2014 and 15 February 2017, respectively.

Launch site
This section is an excerpt from Baikonur Cosmodrome.[edit]
The Baikonur Cosmodrome's "Gagarin's Start" Soyuz launch pad prior to the rollout of Soyuz TMA-13, 10 October 2008.

The Baikonur Cosmodrome (Kazakh: Байқоңыр ғарыш айлағы, romanized: Baiqoñyr ğaryş ailağy, [bɑjxɔˈnər ɣɑˈrəʃ ɑjlɑˈɣə]; Russian: Космодром Байконур, romanized: Kosmodrom Baykonur, [kɐsməˈdrom bɐjkəˈnʊr]) is a spaceport in an area of southern Kazakhstan leased to Russia. The Cosmodrome is the world's first spaceport for orbital and human launches and the largest (in area) operational space launch facility.[8] All crewed Russian spaceflights are launched from Baikonur.[9]

The spaceport is in the desert steppe of Baikonur, about 200 kilometres (120 mi) east of the Aral Sea and north of the river Syr Darya. It is near the Tyuratam railway station and is about 90 metres (300 ft) above sea level. The spaceport is currently leased by the Kazakh Government to Russia until 2050 and is managed jointly by the Roscosmos State Corporation and the Russian Aerospace Forces. The shape of the area leased is an ellipse, measuring 90 kilometres (56 mi) east–west by 85 kilometres (53 mi) north–south, with the cosmodrome at the centre.

Baikonur Cosmodrome was established on 2 June 1955 by the USSR Ministry of Defence.[10] It was originally built as the base of operations for the Soviet space program. Both Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, and Vostok 1, the first human spaceflight, were launched from Baikonur. The launch pad used for both missions was renamed Gagarin's Start, in honour of Russian Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, pilot of Vostok 1 and first human in space.[11] Under the current Russian space program, Baikonur remains a busy spaceport, with numerous commercial, military and scientific missions being launched annually.[12][13]

References
  1. "Kazakhstan's Third-Ever Cosmonaut to Replace Pop Star Brightman on ISS Mission". The Moscow Times. 22 June 2015.
  2. http://kazcosmos.gov.kz/en/news/140114.html
  3. "Aidyn Aimbetov: Flying into the Space is not Buying a Theater Ticket". Akimat of Astana. 13 April 2015. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  4. Anatoly Zak (22 June 2015). "Kazakh cosmonaut to replace Brightman on space station trip". Sen.
  5. "BAIKONUR IS STILL THE CORE OF KAZAKH-RUSSIAN COOPERATION IN SPACE". interfax.kz. February 2008.
  6. "KazSat". russianspaceweb.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-22.
  7. "First ILS Proton Shared Launch with the KazSat-2 Satellite - Kazkosmos". ILS website. July 16, 2011.
  8. "Baikonur Cosmodrome 45.9 N 63.3 E". FAS.org. Federation of American Scientists (FAS). Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  9. "Baikonur Cosmodrome". NASA. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  10. "Baikonur cosmodrome celebrated 63rd anniversary". Dispatch News Desk. 2018-06-03. Archived from the original on 20 October 2018. Retrieved 2018-10-19.
  11. "Yuri Gagarin: First Man in Space". Space.com. 2018-10-13. Archived from the original on 20 December 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
  12. Wilson, Jim (5 August 2000). "Safe Launch For Critical Space Station Module". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
  13. "Baikonur Cosmodrome". International Launch Services. Archived from the original on 31 January 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
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