Baikonur

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources:  –  ·  ·  · scholar · JSTOR (December 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Baikonur Baiqoŋyr/Байқоныр  (Kazakh) Байконур  (Russian)
An aerial view of Baikonur
Flag Seal
Baikonur Location in Kazakhstan Baikonur Baikonur (Asia) Show map of KazakhstanShow map of AsiaShow all
Coordinates: 45°37′0″N 63°19′0″E / 45.61667°N 63.31667°E / 45.61667; 63.31667Coordinates: 45°37′0″N 63°19′0″E / 45.61667°N 63.31667°E / 45.61667; 63.31667
Country	Kazakhstan  Russia (administered)
Founded	1955
Incorporated (city)	1966
Area
• Total	57 km2 (22 sq mi)
Elevation	100 m (300 ft)
Population  (2009)[1]
• Total	36,175
• Density	630/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+5[2]
Postal code	710501
Area code(s)	+7 73622
Vehicle registration	N, 11 (), 94 ()
Climate	BWk
Website	www.baikonuradm.ru

Baikonur (Kazakh: Байқоңыр, Baykoñīr; Russian: Байконур, romanized: Baykonur), formerly known as Leninsk (also, see Tyuratam), is a city of republic significance^{[citation needed]} in Kazakhstan on the northern bank of the Syr Darya river, rented and administered by the Russian Federation. It was constructed to service the Baikonur Cosmodrome and was officially renamed Baikonur by Russian president Boris Yeltsin on December 20, 1995. During the Soviet period, it was sometimes referred to as Звездоград (Zvezdograd), Russian for 'Star City'.^[3]

In 2009, the population of Baikonur was 36,175 (2009 Census results),^[1] while in 1999, it was 28,776 (1999 Census results).^[1]

The rented area is an ellipse measuring 90 kilometres (56 mi) east to west by 85 km (53 mi) north to south, with the cosmodrome situated at the area's centre.

History[]

The original Baikonur (Kazakh for "wealthy brown", i.e. "fertile land with many herbs") is a mining town 320 kilometres northeast of the present location, near Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan's Karagandy Region. Starting with Vostok 1 in April 1961, the launch site was given this name to cause confusion and keep the location secret. (The original Baikonur's residents took advantage of the confusion by ordering and receiving many scarce materials before government officials discovered the deception.)^[4] Baikonur's railway station predates the base and retains the old name of Tyuratam. This was the original Soviet railway station (railhead) on the Moscow to Tashkent Railway that the Cosmodrome was initially named after.

The fortunes of the city have varied according to those of the Soviet or Russian space program and its Baikonur Cosmodrome. Foreign visitors need pre-approval from the Russian authorities to visit both the town of Baikonur itself and the Cosmodrome. Foreign visitors need to obtain a written approval which is completely separate from having a regular Russian Visa.

The Soviet government established the Nauchno-Issledovatel'skii Ispytatel'nyi Poligon N.5 (NIIIP-5), or Scientific-Research Test Range N.5 by its decree of 12 February 1955. The U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance plane found and photographed the Tyuratam missile test range (cosmodrome Baikonur) for the first time on 5 August 1957. See right for a composite satellite image of the early Tyuratam launch complex, the cosmodrome (30 May 1962).^{[citation needed]}

Without the specifics of the sights, Baikonur's guide will not be complete. The town has unique ties with space, and hence the history of the rocket building and space binds all the sights in the area and the cosmodrome. However, there are only a few exceptions: old locomotive, an Orthodox Church and a new mosque.^[5]

Climate[]

Baikonur features a cold desert climate (BWk). Summers are hot with July highs averaging slightly over 34 °C (93 °F), while winters are cold, with longer periods of sustained below-freezing temperatures.^[6]

Places of interest[]

South of city center, near the Syr Darya River there is a large park with several sports and amusement facilities. Among these is a ferris wheel, which is no longer in use. The park is located at coordinates

 WikiMiniAtlas

Gallery[]

• 

  U-2 Photograph of R-7 Launch Pad in Tyura-Tam

• 

  Baikonur and Syr Darya River

• 

  Entrance to the city

• 

  Kazakh boy wearing a national costume at the celebration of Nauryz event in Baikonur with a camel

See also[]

• List of closed cities

References[]

Further reading[]

• "Testing of rocket and space technology - the business of my life" Events and facts - A.I. Ostashev, Korolyov, 2001.[1];
• "Baikonur. Korolev. Yangel." - M. I. Kuznetsk, Voronezh: IPF "Voronezh", 1997, ISBN 5-89981-117-X;
• "Unknown Baikonur" - edited by B. I. Posysaeva, M.: "globe", 2001. ISBN 5-8155-0051-8
• "Rocket and space feat Baikonur" - Vladimir Порошков, the "Patriot" publishers 2007. ISBN 5-7030-0969-3
• A.I. Ostashev, Sergey Pavlovich Korolyov - The Genius of the 20th Century — 2010 M. of Public Educational Institution of Higher Professional Training MGUL ISBN 978-5-8135-0510-2.
• "Bank of the Universe" - edited by Boltenko A. C., Kyiv, 2014., publishing house "Phoenix", ISBN 978-966-136-169-9
• "We grew hearts in Baikonur" - Author: Eliseev V. I. M: publisher OAO MPK in 2018, ISBN 978-5-8493-0415-1

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baikonur.

• RussianSpaceWeb.com on Baikonur town
• Baikonur cosmodrome placemark
• Launch of the manned spacecraft Soyuz from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
• Baikonur travel guide from Wikivoyage