Baikonur Cosmodrome Collection

Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, 1963
Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova preparing to become the first woman in space. Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova (born 1937) flew solo in the Vostok 6 spacecraft on 16 June 1963

Sputnik 1 launch. Sputnik 1, the worlds first artificial satellite, being launched by an R-7 Semyorka rocket from Tyuratam military range (now Baikonur Cosmodrome), Kazakhstan, on 4 October 1957

Soyuz 11 crew before launch, 1971
Soyuz 11 crew before launch. Soviet cosmonauts (left to right) Georgy Dobrovolsky, Viktor Patsayev and Vladislav Volkov at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and rocket engineer Sergey Korolyov, 1961. Pictured at Baikonur Cosmodrome, USSR. Korolyov (1907-1966)

Valentina Tereshkova, Russian cosmonaut, Baikonur Cosmodrome, USSR, 16 June 1963. Tereshkova (1937-) on the day when she piloted Vostok 6, making the first space flight by a woman

Last steps of Russian cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov, Baikonur Cosmodrome, USSR, 23 April 1967. Vladimir Komarov (1927-1967) was one of the first group of cosmonauts selected to take part in the Soviet

Tereshkova and Korolyov C014 / 0749
Tereshkova and Korolyov. Soviet cosmonaut and first woman in space, Valentina Vladimironva Tereshkova (b.1937) talking to the Soviet rocket engineer and spacecraft designer Sergey Pavlovich Korolyov

Proton-M rocket before launch C013 / 9296
Proton-M rocket before launch. Russian Proton-M rocket before its launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, to put the Dutch NSS-14 (SES-4) telecommunications satellite into orbit

Soviet spacecrat Vostok 6 on launchpad
Soviet spacecraft Vostok 6 on the launchpad at Baikonur cosmodrome on 16th June 1963. Vostok 6 was piloted by the first woman to fly in space, Valentina Tereshkova

Soyuz TMA-11 space crew. The crew of Soyuz TMA 11 was made up of Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor (top), Peggy Whitson (bottom) and Yuri Malenchenko (not seen)

Cosmonaut Valery Polyakov, before the launch of the Soyuz TM6 mission to the Mir Space Station. Polyakov launched with two other cosmonauts from Baikonur Cosmodrome

Galileo navigation satellite being prepared for launch. This is GIOVE-A, the first test satellite for the European Galileo satellite navigation system. It was previously known as GSTB-V2/A

Soyuz TMA-11 mission launch, October 2007
Soyuz TMA-11 mission launch. Soyuz TMA-11 rocket lifting off from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on 10th October 2007 at 13:22 GMT

Multuple exposure photograph of a Soviet rocket
Multiple exposure photograph of a Soviet rocket at the Baikonur cosmodrome in central Asia

Soviet rocket being transported to launchpad
A Soviet rocket on its way to the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in central Asia

Venus Express launch. The Venus Express spacecraft was launched in a Fregat vehicle on top of a Soyuz rocket. It lifted off on 9th November 2005 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan

Globalstar satellite launch. Soyuz-Frigate rocket being prepared at night for the launch of four Globalstar communications satellites into Earth orbit

TerraSAR-X satellite launch, at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. TerraSAR-X is a European satellite that uses X-band (microwave) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to observe the Earth from space

Comos satellite launch
Cosmos satellite launch, at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. Cosmos (Kosmos in Russian) is the generic name for any satellite that does not have a designated program

TerraSAR-X satellite launch preparations. Engineers preparing the TerraSAR-X satellite for launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

Soyuz spacecraft atop launch vehicle on launchpad
The Soyuz-24 spacecraft, atop its launch vehicle, on the launchpad at Baikonur Cosmodrome in central Asia. Photo by A. Pushkarev, Fotokhronika, TASS

Cosmonaut Titov, Vostok 2, 1961
Soviet cosmonaut Gherman Titov (1935-2000), preparing to be launched into space on the Vostok 2 spacecraft, on 6th August 1961. Titov was the second person to orbit the Earth after Gagarin

Rocket launchpad, Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. This facility is used by the Russian Federal Space Agency for space launches. It was founded in June 1955 by the former Soviet Union

Spektr-R space telescope launch. Zenit-3F rocket at launch site 45 (LC-45) at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, being used to launch the Russian Spektr-R radio space telescope

Energia rocket preparation. Energia rocket being prepared in a workshop at the Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. Energia rockets were built to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system

GLONASS satellite launch, 2010
GLONASS satellite launch. Night-time launch of a Proton-M carrier rocket with a DM upper stage containing a cluster of 3 GLONASS-M satellites

Soyuz TMA-12 launch, April 2008
Старт РКН "Союз-Ф" с международным экипажем 17-й экспедиции на МКС. Площадка старта - 2, космодрома "'айконур"

Soyuz 13 rocket launch. Launch of the Soviet Soyuz 13 spacecraft carrying Pyotr Klimuk and Valentin Lebedev. Soyuz 13 was the Soviet Unions first dedicated science mission

Globalstar satellite preparation
Globalstar communications satellite launch preparation at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. These four satellites are being loaded onto the Soyuz-Frigate rocket ready to be launched into low earth

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"Baikonur Cosmodrome: A Historic Gateway to the Stars" Step back in time and witness the birthplace of space exploration at Baikonur Cosmodrome. This legendary site has witnessed some of humanity's greatest achievements, forever etching its name in history. In 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made his monumental journey into space from Baikonur, becoming the first human to orbit our planet. Alongside him stood rocket engineer Sergey Korolyov, whose genius paved the way for this groundbreaking feat. Two years later, another trailblazer emerged as Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova embarked on her historic mission aboard Vostok With her launch from Baikonur in 1963, she became not only the first woman but also the youngest person ever to venture beyond Earth's atmosphere. Baikonur continued to be a hub of innovation and discovery throughout the years. In 1971, Soyuz 11 crew members prepared themselves mentally and physically before their fateful launch that would tragically end with their loss upon re-entry. The cosmodrome holds more than just triumphs; it bears witness to great sacrifices as well. Vladimir Komarov took his last steps here in April 1967 before embarking on a mission that would ultimately claim his life during re-entry. His bravery serves as a reminder of the risks undertaken by those who dare to explore uncharted territories. Fast forward to present times, where Expedition crews prepare diligently for their missions at Baikonur Cosmodrome. From Ivan Vagner's focused gaze reflecting Soyuz rocket in his glasses to Chris Cassidy waving farewell before departure – these images capture both determination and excitement coursing through astronauts' veins. As we marvel at these moments frozen in time within Baikonur's walls, let us remember that this iconic cosmodrome represents mankind's insatiable thirst for knowledge and our relentless pursuit of the stars.