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Kazakhstan to sign deal on upgrading ‘Gagarin Start’ launch pad at Baikonur spaceport

The Gagarin Start is the oldest launch pad at the Baikonur spaceport, from which a Vostok spacecraft with the world’s first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin on board blasted off into outer space

NUR-SULTAN, February 19. /TASS/. Russia, Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates are planning to sign an agreement on upgrading launch site No. 1 at the Baikonur spaceport in the first half of this year, Chairman of the Aerospace Committee at Kazakhstan’s Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry Ministry Baubek Oralmagambetov told TASS on Wednesday.

"We are planning to sign the agreement in the first half of the year," he said.

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Kazakh leader ratifies protocol amending lease deal on Baikonur launch pad

Kazakhstan’s Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry Deputy Minister Marat Nurguzhin said in December last year that the document was in the process of its approval within government agencies.

The deputy minister earlier specified that each of the three sides would earmark about $28 million for implementing this project. The upgrade is expected to take three years, up to 2023 inclusive.

Site No. 1 (the Gagarin Start) is the oldest launch pad at the Baikonur spaceport, from which a Vostok spacecraft with the world’s first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968) on its board blasted off into outer space.

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