The most historic launch site on Earth. Sputnik 1, the first satellite, launched here in 1957. Yuri Gagarin lifted off from Pad 1 in 1961. Still the primary crewed launch site for Russian missions.
A launch site's latitude determines which orbits are achievable and at what fuel cost. Baikonur at 45.9200°N sets the following constraints:
From 45.9200°N, Baikonur can reach 3 Starlink inclination shells: 53°, 70°, 97.6° SSO (polar).
Trains launched to higher inclinations are visible from more of the world. A 97° SSO train from Baikonur would be visible at virtually every latitude; a 53° train is visible from latitudes up to ±57° (primarily) — much of the populated world. In the hours after launch — before satellites raise their orbits — a tight train of 20–60 bright dots crosses the sky roughly every 90 minutes. Use OrbitalNodes' Starlink tracker for exact train pass times.
Baikonur Cosmodrome is located at 45.9200°N, 63.3420°E in Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan. It is owned and operated by Russia (leased from Kazakhstan). The site has conducted approximately 1,500 orbital launches since its first in 1957.
Current vehicles operating from Baikonur Cosmodrome include Soyuz-2, Proton-M. Primary customers are Roscosmos, launching Soyuz crewed missions (51.6°), GEO communications, ISS resupply.
At 45.9200°N, Baikonur's minimum achievable inclination is 45.9° (due-east launch). The ISS at 51.6° is reachable with a dogleg manoeuvre. Sun-synchronous orbits (~97°) are particularly efficient from this high latitude. The site can reach orbits between roughly 46° and 98° inclination.
Yes — Baikonur Cosmodrome hosts a high cadence of approximately 12 orbital launches per year. Check the operator's website for public viewing arrangements and launch windows.
Satellites regularly launched from Baikonur include Soyuz crewed missions (51.6°), GEO communications, ISS resupply. The ISS was supplied or crew-launched from sites at similar latitudes. Use OrbitalNodes to track any visible satellite in real time.
Baikonur at 45.9200°N was positioned to access the full range of low-Earth orbits including the ISS corridor. The site has been operational since 1957.
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