Kazakhstan signs space agreements, plans new rocket launch
Space forum in Almaty highlights new deals with Singapore, South Korea, and $1.3B modernization of Baikonur cosmodrome
ASTANA, Kazakhstan (MNTV) — Kazakhstan is stepping up its space ambitions after hosting the Space Days Kazakhstan forum in Almaty on Sept. 8–9, where officials announced new international partnerships and outlined plans to modernize the Soviet-built Baikonur cosmodrome.
According to the English-language outlet The Astana Times, the event brought together more than 50 experts for workshops and roundtables on satellite data, education, international cooperation, and space weather. A photo exhibition honored Talgat Mussabayev, a Kazakh cosmonaut who flew three missions to space in the 1990s and 2000s.
Kazakhstan’s national space company, Kazakhstan Garysh Sapary, signed agreements with Singapore’s ORBVIEW PTE, South Korea’s Nara Space, and local firm New ServiceArt. Officials said the deals will expand access to satellite imagery, develop microsatellites, and strengthen digital services — part of a drive to diversify partners beyond Russia, Kazakhstan’s traditional space ally.
The centerpiece of Kazakhstan’s strategy is reviving the Baikonur cosmodrome, the world’s first and largest space launch facility, built by the Soviet Union in the 1950s and still leased to Russia. Under a $1.3 billion modernization plan called the Baiterek project, Kazakhstan will renovate a launch pad once used for the Soviet Energia-Buran shuttle.
Officials said the new facility will host the Soyuz-5 rocket, a modern mid-range launch vehicle scheduled for its first flight in December.
“We associate the ‘second wind’ of Baikonur with this project,” said Baubek Oralmagambetov, head of Kazakhstan’s Aerospace Committee. He told the Inbusiness news agency that the upgraded site will feature a fully automated launch system, meeting rising global demand for rockets.
Oralmagambetov added that Baikonur and Russia’s newer Vostochny cosmodrome are not competitors. “There is a shortage of launch vehicles worldwide, and many satellite manufacturers are seeking contracts. There will be enough orders for both Vostochny and Baikonur,” he said.
The forum also featured a job fair for students and young professionals, a training seminar organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and a symposium on model CanSat satellites, which allow students to simulate satellite launches on a small scale.
Analysts say the initiatives reflect Kazakhstan’s efforts to position itself as a regional hub for space research and satellite services at a time of growing international demand. By pairing new foreign partnerships with the revival of Baikonur, Astana is aiming to transform a Soviet legacy into a launchpad for the future.
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