Russia’s participation in Baiterek complex creation is decisive - Kazcosmos

ASTANA, June 1. /TASS/. Kazakhstan is ready to continue the implementation of the project for the creation of the Baiterek space rocket complex and its further financing even with increases costs, Deputy Chairman of the Aerospace Committee (Kazcosmos) of the Ministry of Investment and Development of Kazakhstan Meirbek Moldabekov told TASS in an interview on Monday. However, he said, it is possible only on the condition of the "preservation of the status of the joint project and the Russian side’s participation in it on a parity basis." "We are currently in negotiations with Roscosmos (Russia’s Federal Space Agency) on these two key issues. We expect to hear Roscosmos’ official position tentatively in the first half of June," Moldabekov said. Referring to the change in the project cost, he said that it is currently "impossible" to specify the sum. "This requires justified estimates that we don’t have at present. These calculations should be presented by our Russian partners. The feasibility study and a number of expert examinations will be conducted on their basis. Only after that it will be possible to speak of about any specific figures and the sum of the project cost increase," he said. According to Moldabekov, "In addition to the issue of funding, the factor of the project joint implementation is equally important." "The degree of interest and participation of Russia in this project is a key issue for the Kazakh side at present," he said. According to plans, the Baiterek space rocket complex is to be created on the base of Baikonur spaceport by 2022. Joint proposals between Kazcosmos and Roscosmos to implement the project were approved during the second session of the Kazakh-Russian intergovernmental commission on the Baikonur complex held on November 24, 2014. In his annual address to the people, Nazarbayev said that the state should expand its role in the global space market by 2030 and bring a number of ongoing projects to fruition. This includes constructing the spacecraft assembly and test complex in Astana, establishing the space system for remote sensing and a national space monitoring system and ground infrastructure system for high-precision satellite navigation. The Baikonur complex, which includes the launch site, was founded 60 years ago. On June 2, 1955, by the directive of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces, the organisational and staff structure of the Research Test Site No 5 was approved. This day is considered Baikonur’s establishment date. In 2014, Baikonur once again received the title of the most used spaceport in the world. Twenty-one rockets were launched from Baikonur in the past year, 19 of which were successful. Cape Canaveral in the United States followed with 18 launches, all of which were successful. Read more