Kazakhstan


2017 – Russian Spaceports – Snapshot

During 2017, Russia continued operating three orbital launch spaceports within its territory: Dombarovskiy, Plesetsk, and Vostochny. A fourth spaceport, Baikonur Cosmodrome, is Russia’s . . .

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2015 – Russian Spaceports – Snapshot

There are three active or planned orbital space launch sites in Russia: Dombarovskiy, Plesetsk, and Vostochny. But in 2015, the site the Russians launched 69% of their space launch vehicles was from Baikonur Cosmodrome, located in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Of the 26 Russian launches conducted, 18 originated in Baikonur. The other eight were launched from the Russian spaceports of Plesetsk and Dombarovskiy.

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2014 – Land Imaging

Collectively, land-imaging satellites are systems used to observe, monitor, and track changes and developments on the Earth’s surface using a variety of optical or electronic imaging capabilities. Earth observation satellites may be distinguished from each other on the basis of spatial resolution—the level of detail their images are capable of recording. Another distinction is the sensor type, such as optical cameras, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), or various types of infrared and electronic imaging.

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2014 – Russian Spaceports

Vostochny Cosmodrome, formerly an old nuclear missile base called Svobodny, is slated to become Russia’s newest spaceport when it begins operations in 2015. After years of delay, construction at the site began in 2011 at an estimated cost of $## billion. The cosmodrome is located in Russia’s Far East and is expected to serve as Russia’s primary launch facility once it reaches fully operational status.

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2014 – Additional Country Space Budgets

Around the globe, many smaller nations—whether in terms of economy or population size—are investing in space projects or programs. The exhibit below shows the most recent available annual budget for civil space activities in a number of selected space states.

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2013 – Russian Spaceports

Baikonur Cosmodrome was Russia’s first spaceport, beginning operations in 1957. It is also the largest spaceport in the world in terms of area, and it is the world’s busiest spaceport in terms of number of orbital launches. It is located in what is now the independent country of Kazakhstan, which until 1991 was a Soviet republic.

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2013 – Additional Country Space Budgets

Around the globe, many smaller nations—whether in terms of economy or population size—are investing in space projects or programs. Exhibit 2cc shows the most recent available yearly budget for civil space activities in a number of selected emerging space states. Each of these countries tends to feature a different focus in its space investment portfolio, so care must be taken in making generalizations.

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2013 – Other Countries, Launch, Payload

South Korea conducted ## successful orbital launch in 2013. After suffering two previous launch failures of the Korea Space Launch Vehicle (KSLV)-1, arguments arose between the Russian manufacturers of the vehicle’s first stage and the South Korean manufacturers of the second stage over the responsibility for the vehicle’s failures.

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2012 – Russian Spaceports

Russia operates orbital flights from two main spaceports, Baikonur and Plesetsk, and is in the process of building a new spaceport. Baikonur is by far the most important Russian spaceport, even though it lies within the territory of another country. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia struck a deal with newly independent Kazakhstan to retain control over the site.

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