Russia says it will use Baikonur only for civil purposes next year
Russia will not test or launch any military rockets at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in 2025. According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Digital Development, Russia plans to carry out nine rocket launches next year, all of which will be for civil and peaceful purposes.
Russia has already submitted its space vehicle launch plan for 2025 through diplomatic channels. The document has been published on the Legalacts.egov.kz website.
«The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan has informed us that the plan we received contains no launches of military space vehicles or test rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome,» the agency stated.
According to the plan, the launches will fall under three key programs:
- The national space program,
- International cooperation programs,
- Commercial projects.
Under a bilateral arrangement with Kazakhstan, Russia is required to submit its plan for space and test launches from the cosmodrome no later than Nov. 30. According to the agreement, test launches are defined as launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles for the defense and security purposes of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), including piggyback payload launches.
Earlier this week, Kazakhstan announced that no solution has been found for further launches of Proton-M rockets from Baikonur after 2025. The country is seeking to remove this missile from the launch schedule due to its use of toxic fuel.
