Azernews.Az

By Aynur Jafarova

The Baikonur issue was one of the main topics that Kazakh and Russian officials have always had to find some sort of agreement, Bruce Pannier, the expert on Central Asia and Senior Correspondent at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty told Azernews.

He was commenting on a roadmap on joint operation of the Baikonur Cosmodrome for 2014-2016 inked in December 2013 between Kazakhstan and Russia.

"Russia needs the launch site for its own space launches and commercial launches to put other countries' satellites into orbit, while Kazakhstan needs an agreement with Russia on Baikonur because Russia is its only customer," he said.

The Baikonur Cosmodrome is the world's first and largest operational space launch facility. It is leased by the Kazakh government to Russia until 2050 and is managed jointly by the Russian Federal Space Agency and the Russian Space Forces. Russia pays Kazakhstan $115 million annually for the use of the facility.

Russia may find less need to use Baikonur at all as its new Vostochny Cosmodrome in Siberia is due to be completed in 2018, he added.

"At least some of the Russian rockets launched from Baikonur now will be probably launched instead from Vostochny after 2018. If the new site in Siberia proves capable, Russia may find less need to use Baikonur at all," he said.

Kazakhstan needs specialists to increase control over Baikonur

Touching on Kazakhstan's intention to increase control over the Baikonur Cosmodrome the expert said the country is able to independently develop its space industry.

"Nazarbayev has set some high goals for Kazakhstan and in some cases the country has succeeded. So I wouldn't say it is impossible that Kazakhstan would develop a capable space industry," he noted.

However, the country will need more trained aerospace technicians than it has now, guaranteed supplies of launch vehicles, rocket fuel and other things, the expert stressed.

Also, Pannier didn't exclude the possibility of participation of other countries in Baikonur.

"Possibly some other countries, Japan and South Korea for example, could be interested in using Baikonur because it is already built and has a reputation for launches for nearly 60 years," he said. "But Kazakhstan would have to be able to guarantee launch vehicles (rockets) that could carry satellites into space and Kazakhstan will be competing against launch sites in China, India and possibly Iran, as well as Russia, EU (actually French one), South America and the U.S."