Kazakhstan to postpone testing of Baiterek launching complex for two years due to geopolitical situation

The government of Kazakhstan has decided to postpone testing of the space rocket complex Baiterek designed for medium-lift launch vehicles at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The pause for 2023 to 2025 is due to the current geopolitical situation in the world, according to the protocol on changes to the agreement between Kazakhstan and Russia on the creation of the space rocket complex Baiterek at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

The Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan assessed the potential political, legal and financial consequences of the changes to the agreement and highlighted that they are justified.

«What we are seeing now is the disruption of supply chains for a range of components and materials. As a result, there is a serious increase in the duration of work. This is why we are going to sign the protocol,» Digital Minister Bagdat Musin said.

According to the document, at least three launches of the Soyuz-5 launch vehicle from the Baiterek space rocket complex will be rescheduled from 2025 to 2027. Orders for launching space vehicles with the help of Soyuz-5 (at least two per year) are expected within the period from 2028 to 2039.

The draft document is currently available for public discussion which is going to last until August 7, 2023.

Russia is leasing the Baikonur Cosmodrome from Kazakhstan up to 2050. In 2019, the media reported that Russia was planning to use the medium-lift launch vehicle Soyuz-5 until 2062. The launches were supposed to start in 2023. Soyuz-5 was designed as a substitute for the Zenit rocket designed by Russia and Ukraine. This project was closed due to the conflict between the two countries.

In 2019, some media reported that the space rocket complex of Baiterek would cost Kazakhstan $233 million, while Russia would allocate $916 million for Soyuz-5 rockets.

In 2022, the Digital Ministry of Kazakhstan approved the budget for a program on the development of ground-based infrastructure for space launches in Baikonur. The agency allocated $54.3 million for the project last year and $104.2 million in 2023.