Baikonur cosmodrome

This historic cosmodrome, built on the barren steppes of Kazakhstan, is still the world’s largest space launch facility even after nearly 50 years.

Built in 1955, when Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union, Baikonur covers 6717 square kilometres and extends 75 kilometres from north to south and 90 kilometres from east to west. The base contains dozens of launch pads, five tracking-control centres, nine tracking stations and a 1500-kilometre rocket test range.