Roscosmos general director, Kazakh digital development minister discuss implementing Baiterek project at Baikonur
MOSCOW. Feb 27 (Interfax) - Roscosmos General Director Dmitry Bakanov and Kazakh Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry Minister Jaslan Madiev discussed the implementation of a joint project to create the Baiterek space rocket complex at Baikonur Cosmodrome, the state corporation's press service said.
"The main issue addressed in the meeting was the implementation of the joint project, the Baiterek space rocket complex. The ground infrastructure for launches is being created by the Kazakh side, the prospective Soyuz-5 medium-class rocket is being developed by the Samara enterprise of the Progress Rocket Space Center," the press service said.
Flight tests of the Soyuz-5 rocket from the Baiterek space rocket complex is scheduled to start in late 2025, the state corporation said.
"The production of technological equipment at manufacturing plants now continues, builders' trials of samples and products for the technical and launch complexes are in progress. Component parts of the Soyuz-5 rocket are being tested, construction and assembly work has begun to modernize the ground infrastructure," the press service said.
Preparations for the upcoming 70th anniversary of the Baikonur complex have also been discussed, it said. The main celebrations will be held in the city of Baikonur on June 2.
"Dmitry Bakanov has also examined the launch and technical complexes of the heavy-class rocket Proton-M and the Cosmonaut Training Center facilities at Baikonur Cosmodrome today," Roscosmos said.
Baiterek is a Russian-Kazakh space rocket system, which is under construction in Baikonur and from which Soyuz-5 rockets are expected to be launched.
The medium-class rocket Soyuz-5 was named Irtysh. Its head developer is the Energia Rocket and Space Corporation. The rocket is being created under the Fenix construction and design development using an RD-MB engine. It will be a two-stage rocket. It will be launched from Baikonur under a joint project with Kazakhstan from a launch site that was previously used by Zenit rockets. The Soyuz-5 can take up to 17 tonnes to the support orbit.
