You're reading: Russian and Kazakh space agencies working on draft protocol to Baiterek launch site accord

Astana - A delegation of Kazakhstan's National Space Agency, including Kazcosmos deputy chairman Yerkin Shaymagambetov, is in Moscow to finalize a draft protocol amending the agreement, signed by the Russian and Kazakh governments on Dec. 22, 2004, to build the Baiterek launch site, according to a Kazcosmos press release. 

It was originally planned to launch Angara rockets from the Baikonur Baiterek launch site.

However, Kazakhstan has not launched construction so far for a number of reasons. Apart from that, the first Angara launch from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, located in Russia’s Arkhangelsk region, has been postponed more than once.

Taking all of these circumstances into consideration, Kazakhstan proposed launching Russian-Ukrainian Zenit rockets from Baiterek.