Senator Andrei Lukin proposed that Kazakhstan move beyond being merely a lessor of the Baikonur Cosmodrome to becoming a full-fledged participant in the global space industry. The senator has submitted a corresponding inquiry to Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov.
Lukin believes it is high time for Kazakhstan to construct its own space rocket. Although the country possesses unique infrastructure and base, it currently plays the role of a lessor and has yet to unlock its full potential, the senator emphasized.
To create a small-lift launch vehicle, the senator suggests utilizing the resources of the National Space Center and the space vehicle assembly and testing complex in Astana.
Lukin has also raised the issue of the KazSat-3R communication satellite project, for which MPs are requesting additional funding exceeding $78.4 million from the state budget.
Moreover, in his inquiry, Lukin pointed out issues related to personnel and the scientific base. The country faces shortages in the number of space engineering faculties, as well as modern, well-equipped and dedicated programs for specialist training. MPs also called for the establishment of academic departments in space engineering, the development of scholarship programs and the launch of a satellite data platform for Central Asian countries.
