The Russian remote sensing spacecraft "Resurs-P" photographed the Baikonur Cosmodrome for its 70th anniversary.
Baikonur was founded on February 12, 1955, when the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted a resolution on the creation of a test site for testing intercontinental ballistic missiles and launching artificial Earth satellites. Since then, it has become the most important center of the Soviet and Russian space program.
The construction was led by Major General Georgy Shubnikov. The work was carried out in strict secrecy. The first launch complex of the test site was put into operation on May 15, 1957, when the R-7 rocket was launched. Already on October 4, the First Artificial Earth Satellite was launched into orbit.
Baikonur got its name after the flight of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.
The Baikonur Cosmodrome is located in Kazakhstan at 46° north latitude. Its geographical location allows launching rockets into various orbits, including low Earth and geostationary orbits.
Read also on the topic:
Project "Baiterek": Russia and Kazakhstan are preparing for new space launches
The Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket is being assembled at Baikonur for a manned launch in April
