While Russia continues to lease Baikonur Cosmodrome, it has so far returned over fifty decommissioned facilities to Kazakhstan.
The government now plans to use them to create a vibrant tourism ecosystem, drawing visitors year-round, and not just for rocket launches.
It is planning to develop visitor infrastructure around iconic sites such as Gagarin’s launchpad — the oldest and most famous launch pad at Baikonur, where the world’s first human spaceflight was made by Yuri Gagarin on Vostok 1 in 1961 — with immersive experiences, hotels, glamping facilities, and a children’s camp.
The government has handed oversight of Gagarin’s decommissioned launchpad to its national aerospace committee company, which will now be handling funding, maintenance, and general management, paving the way for tourism development.
Russia finalised the transfer of the site to Kazakhstan in June.
“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,” says the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan at the Baikonur Complex, Kairat Nurtay.
‘A powerful source of inspiration’
The tourism concept for Baikonur is set to be approved in September, and the first step will involve inspecting decommissioned facilities for safety.
To preserve its cosmic heritage, iconic sites will be reconstructed as part of an open-air museum. This includes Gagarin’s launchpad and the Assembly and Fueling Complex — once used for the final preparation of the powerful Energia rocket and Buran shuttle, a spaceplane designed as a response to the US Space Shuttle programme.
Plans also include building essential infrastructure such as hotels, glamping areas, visitor centres with retail zones, restaurants, and a children’s camp.
“Space is, above all, a dream for humanity — a dream to explore galaxies and discover new planets,” says the Chairman of the Aerospace Committee, Baubek Oralmagambetov.
“This kind of tourism is a powerful source of inspiration, especially for children. It helps them learn the history of space exploration, become motivated by its achievements, and strive to study harder and set higher goals.”
Witnessing rocket launches from a yurt
Last year, Kazakhstan installed a metal-structured yurt at a viewing platform near Baikonur’s 31st launch pad, offering tourists a chance to watch rocket launches up close.
So far this year, visitors have witnessed three launches, with three more scheduled before December.
The most recent was a Russian cargo mission. A Soyuz rocket lifted off at 12:32am on 4 July, carrying the unmanned Progress 92 spacecraft with nearly three tonnes of food, fuel, and supplies for the International Space Station. It docked with the Poisk module the following day.
Authorities estimate that with expanded lodgings, Baikonur could welcome up to 50,000 visitors a year by 2029 — a fivefold jump from current figures.
“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,” says said Chief Manager of the Management Board Chairman’s Office at Kazakh Tourism, Leila Bakytova.
“As for MICE [ed. Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions] tourism, there are many exciting event formats around the world that could be brought here.”
Experts say the potential is just beginning to be tapped, with ideas for interactive exhibits and hands-on simulations.
“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,” explains museum expert Rinat Kutdussov.
“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.”
Tourism and Kazakhstan’s space ambitions go hand in hand
Baikonur’s growing tourism ambitions align with Kazakhstan’s broader space strategy. One of its key goals is to commercialise Soyuz rocket launches by 2028 using upgraded local infrastructure, as part of the Russian-Kazakh Baiterek project.
“The first test flight will take place at the end of this year,” says Oralmagambetov.
“The second and third test launches are planned for 2026 and 2027, followed by commercialisation in 2028. Both foreign and Kazakh customers will be able to send their space cargo.”
Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has confirmed that construction of the Baiterek Space Rocket Complex and development of the Soyuz-5 rocket remain on schedule. According to Roscosmos, the rocket will launch from Baikonur in December this year.
For now, rocket launches remain Baikonur’s main tourist attraction. Officials say the transformation is only beginning — but it’s designed to inspire everyone, from curious schoolchildren to lifelong space enthusiasts.
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