Vostochny Cosmodrome

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Vostochny Cosmodrome

Soyuz-2.1a preparing for the first launch from Vostochny in 2016
Agency overview
Formed1 August 2011
JurisdictionGovernment of Russia
HeadquartersTsiolkovsky, Amur Oblast
51°53′04.39″N 128°20′05.2″E / 51.8845528°N 128.334778°E / 51.8845528; 128.334778 (Headquarters)
Parent agencyRoscosmos
Map
Vostochny Cosmodrome is located in Russia
Vostochny Cosmodrome
Vostochny Cosmodrome (Russia)

The Vostochny Cosmodrome (Russian: Космодром Восточный, romanized: Kosmodrom Vostochnyy, lit. 'Eastern Spaceport') is a Russian space launch facility in the Amur Oblast, located above the 51st parallel north in the Russian Far East. It was built to help reduce Russia’s reliance on the Baikonur Cosmodrome which is located on land the Russian government leases from Kazakhstan. The civilian launch facility is operated by Roscosmos, the state corporation responsible for space flights. The facility was established in August 2011 and saw its first launch on 28 April 2016.

Location

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Vostochny is in the Svobodny and Shimanovsk districts of Amur Oblast in the Russian Far East, on the watershed of the Zeya and Bolshaya Pyora rivers,[1] approximately 600–800 km (370–500 mi) from the Pacific Ocean, depending on launch azimuth. The planned total area is about 30 kilometres (19 mi) in diameter or about 551.5 square kilometres (212.9 sq mi) in area, centered.[2] The nearby train station is Ledyanaya and the nearest city is Tsiolkovsky.

The latitude means that rockets will be able to carry almost the same amount of payload as they can when launched from Baikonur at 46° N.[3] Other positives include the ability to use sparsely populated areas and bodies of water for the rocket launch routes; proximity to major transportation networks such as the Baikal–Amur Mainline and the Chita–Khabarovsk Highway; abundant local electricity production (for the hydrogen rocket fuel electrolysis and liquefaction); and the infrastructure supporting the former Svobodny Cosmodrome, the local prototype.[1]

The location has a quite speedy supply of most materials and allows rockets to jettison their lower stages over the ocean. It was expanded as part of a plan to modernize the supporting infrastructure. Russian president Vladimir Putin confirmed that other places proffered were on the shore of the Pacific, near Vladivostok, which experts have disfavoured for their oceanic climate, liable to cause delays in date-sensitive launches.[4]

History

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The first rocket to launch from Vostochny Cosmodrome, a Soyuz-2.1a, on 28 April 2016.

The Vostochny Cosmodrome project was initiated in 2011 as part of Russia’s effort to reduce reliance on the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, which Russia leased following the collapse of the Soviet Union.[5]

The concept for building a new cosmodrome on Russian territory emerged in the 2000s, when government officials and scientists began discussing the need for a domestic civilian launch site to reduce reliance on the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, which Russia continued to lease after the collapse of the Soviet Union.[5] President Vladimir Putin personally participated in selecting the site; an early proposal to build near Vladivostok on the Pacific coast was abandoned due to adverse weather conditions, and the project was instead relocated inland to the Amur Oblast in Russia's Far East.[6]

The chosen site was the former Svobodny Cosmodrome, a missile base established by decree of President Boris Yeltsin in March 1996. Only five spacecraft were launched from Svobodny before it was closed in March 2007.[5] In 2017, Putin signed a decree formally authorizing development of a new spaceport on the site,[7] and Roscosmos approved the design on 11 July 2008.[8] Engineers drew on experience from the construction of the Soyuz Launch Complex in French Guiana and the Angara launch pad at South Korea's Naro Space Center.[9]

Construction began in January 2011, with the Mechanical Engineering Project Institute (Ipromashprom) serving as the general designer and the Federal Agency for Special Construction (Spetstroy) as the main contractor.[1] The master plan envisioned seven launch pads, including two for crewed missions, as well as more than 400 infrastructure facilities, 115 kilometres (71 mi) of roads, and 125 kilometres (78 mi) of railways. The project was initially scheduled for completion by 2018.[10]

Construction

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Residential buildings under construction in Tsiolkovsky, Amur Oblast, near Vostochny Cosmodrome in 2015.

On 1 September 2009, President Dmitry Medvedev designated Spetstroy as the main construction contractor.[11] From the outset, construction was hindered by delays, cost overruns, and corruption scandals. Reports of unpaid wages, hunger strikes, and embezzlement of public funds led to multiple criminal investigations and the dismissal of several senior officials.[12][13][14] By 2013, over 5,000 workers were employed on site, and housing development in the nearby town of Uglegorsk—later renamed Tsiolkovsky—was underway.[15] The site was connected to Russia’s national power grid in 2014, and the first Soyuz-2.1a rocket arrived the following year ahead of Vostochny’s inaugural launch on 28 April 2016.[16][17]

Construction of a second launch complex, Site 1A for the Angara rocket, began in 2018. Work was delayed by structural defects, including cavities discovered under the launch pad due to improperly poured concrete, which were later repaired.[18] Roscosmos terminated its contract with contractor PSO Kazan in 2019 following delays and cost overruns but later reinstated the firm after other potential contractors withdrew, citing insufficient government funding.[19] The Angara pad was completed in 2024, supporting its first launch later that year.

In November 2025, the Far Eastern Energy Company disconnected power to areas of the spaceport still under construction after PSO Kazan accumulated about US$627,000 in unpaid electricity bills, prompting bankruptcy proceedings. Officials confirmed that operations at the two active launch pads were unaffected and that the contractor had pledged to settle its debt by the end of the month.[12]

Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un visiting Vostochny Cosmodrome on 13 September 2023.

On 13 September 2023, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met with Putin at the site during the 2023 North Korea–Russia summit.[20][21]

Launches

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The launch of the Soyuz-2.1a from Vostochny Cosmodrome, 28 April 2016.

The first launch at the complex occurred on 28 April 2016, at 02:01 UTC, when a Soyuz-2 launched from pad Site 1S, carrying the gamma-ray astronomy satellite Mikhailo Lomonosov.[22]

The second launch occurred on 28 November 2017, also from Site 1S, with a Soyuz-2.1b/Fregat carrying Meteor-M No.2-1. The mission was declared a failure after telemetry was lost and the rocket re-entered the atmosphere due to the Fregat upper stage being programmed for a launch from Baikonur rather than the new Vostochny Cosmodrome.[23][24]

The third launch occurred on 1 February 2018 from Site 1S, with a Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M. The primary payloads were two Russian government Earth observation satellites, Kanopus-V 3 and 4. Also aboard were 9 cubesats. The launch was successful. [25]

The fourth launch from Vostochny, using a Soyuz 2.1a, was conducted on 27 December 2018. The primary payloads were two Russian government Earth observation satellites, Kanopus-V 5 and 6. Also aboard were 26 small satellites that were deployed as secondary payloads. The launch of these small satellites was organized by GK Launch Services, a commercial subsidiary of Roscosmos.[26]

The fifth launch took place on 5 July 2019. The Soyuz-2 rocket delivered weather satellite Meteor-M2-2 into orbit.

The sixth launch was conducted on 18 December 2020, with a Soyuz-2.1b/Fregat from Site 1S. The payload was 36 OneWeb Internet link satellites into low Earth orbit. The launch was successful.

The seventh–eleventh launches were conducted on 25 March, 26 April, 28 May, 1 July, and 10 October 2021, each with a Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat-M from Site 1S. Again, 36 × 5 OneWeb satellites were successfully launched into LEO.

On 10 August 2023 the Soyuz-2 rocket carrying Luna 25 was launched. The probe launched and entered lunar orbit successfully, but later crashed into the moon.

Purpose

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The aim of the cosmodrome is to enable Russia to launch most missions from its own land, and reduce the dependency of Russia on the Baikonur Cosmodrome which is leased from the government of Kazakhstan.[23] Baikonur is the launch site operated by Russia with the legacy capability to launch crewed missions to ISS or toward lower inclination and geostationary orbits.[27] The Russian government pays a yearly rent of $115 million to Kazakhstan for its usage.[28] Satellites bound for high inclination orbits can be currently launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northwestern Russia.[29] The new site is intended mostly for civilian launches.[30] As of 2011, Roscosmos planned to move 45% of Russia's space launches to Vostochny by 2020, while the share from Baikonur was expected to drop from 65% to 11%, and Plesetsk to account for 44%.[31] In 2012, the share of space launches on Russian soil stood at 25%, and was projected to increase to 90% by 2030.[32]

Economic aspects

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Development of the Vostochny Cosmodrome is expected to have a positive impact on the economy of the relatively poorly developed Russian Far East. The Russian government has a strategic policy to bring high-tech companies into the Far East region, and several enterprises involved in human space flight are expected to move their activities there when the new cosmodrome is completed.[3] Development of the new site is also expected to dramatically increase employment in the towns of Tsiolkovsky, Shimanovsk, Svobodny and others.[3] Along with the launch pads and processing facilities, an airport and a satellite city will be constructed. The city will be designed to accommodate 35,000 people as well as tourists.[33] It will contain a full supporting infrastructure with schools, kindergartens and clinics.[31] Architect Dmitry Pshenichnikov has stated that the city is to become a "one-of-its-kind scientific and tourist space town with a unique design and a beautiful landscape".[33]

In November 2012, press reports indicated that the Russian government is having difficulty in finding a good use for the new spaceport, and that other government ministries have been avoiding the project, calling it a "dolgostroya" (Russian: долгостроя)(Russian for a long term construction; usually wastes financial resources).[34]

Controversies

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Corruption severely set back construction of the Vostochny Cosmodrome. According to Russian prosecutors, at least US$165 million was embezzled during the construction process (critics claim that these numbers are severely downplayed), and in 2015, 350 workers painted giant messages on their barracks, asking Vladimir Putin to help after long payment delays. By July 2016, the price for the spaceport was US$7.5 billion with costs rising every year (for example, an additional US$105 million was requested in 2016).[35] By 2019, about 60 persons had been convicted for corruption.[36] In 2020, several officials associated with Vostochny Cosmodrome were fired or arrested.[37]

Launch pads

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Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMap Download coordinates as KML

Seven launch pads are planned to be built at Vostochny over several years. Launch pads include:

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  • Site 1S (Soyuz)
  • Site 1S assembly building
    Site 1S assembly building
  • Site 1S pad
    Site 1S pad
  • Site 1S with Soyuz-2.1a "Mikhail Lomonosov", 2016
    Site 1S with Soyuz-2.1a "Mikhail Lomonosov", 2016
  • Site 1S with Soyuz-2.1a "Mikhail Lomonosov", 2016
    Site 1S with Soyuz-2.1a "Mikhail Lomonosov", 2016
  • Site 1S, Soyuz-2.1a launch, 2016
    Site 1S, Soyuz-2.1a launch, 2016
  • Site 1S, Soyuz-2.1a launch, 2016
    Site 1S, Soyuz-2.1a launch, 2016

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Vostochny Cosmodrome". premier.gov.ru. 26 August 2010.
  2. ^ "MKap". S60.radikal.ru. Archived from the original on 24 May 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  3. ^ a b c Zak, Anatoly. "Vostochny (formerly Svobodny) Cosmodrome". RussianSpaceWeb.com. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  4. ^ "Последние испытания перед первым запуском начинаются на космодроме Восточный". TASS. 3 January 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  5. ^ a b c "Предстартовые волнения". 25 May 2015. Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Последние испытания перед первым запуском начинаются на космодроме Восточный". Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  7. ^ "Космодром Восточный: от идеи к старту". Archived from the original on 9 April 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  8. ^ "Что представляет собой космодром «Восточный»?". 14 October 2015. Archived from the original on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  9. ^ "Vostochny: Space Haven of the 21st Century". Roscosmos. 26 January 2011. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  10. ^ "Дирекция космодрома Восточный будет сформирована до 1 июля 2011 года". rian.ru. 13 April 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  11. ^ [1] Archived 25 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ a b Berger, Eric (6 November 2025). "After Russian spaceport firm fails to pay bills, electric company turns the lights off". Ars Technica. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  13. ^ "Russia Spaceport Workers Start Hunger Strike Over Unpaid Wages". RFE/RL Russian Service. 3 April 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  14. ^ Kottasova, Ivana (27 April 2015). "Economic crisis hits at heart of Russia's pride: Its space program". CNN. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  15. ^ "Russia's new Vostochny spaceport construction gets back on schedule". ITAR-TASS. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  16. ^ Gertcyck, Olga (25 September 2015). "First Soyuz arrives at Vostochny spaceport for debut launch in December". The Siberian Times. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  17. ^ Bergin, Chris (27 April 2016). "Soyuz 2-1 launches maiden mission from Vostochny". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  18. ^ Sharma, Shubham (11 September 2018). "Russian Cosmodrome: Cavities Discovered Under Soyuz Rocket Launchpad". Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  19. ^ "Angara suffers another setback in Vostochny". russianspaceweb.com.
  20. ^ "Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un meet in Russian spaceport with Ukraine, tech for Pyongyang military high on agenda". CBS News. 13 September 2023.
  21. ^ Roth, Andrew (13 September 2023). "Vostochny cosmodrome: the remote Russian spaceport hosting Kim and Putin". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  22. ^ William Graham (27 April 2016). "Soyuz 2-1 launches maiden mission from Vostochny". nasaspaceflight.com. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  23. ^ a b "Russian satellite lost after being set to launch from wrong spaceport". The Guardian. Reuters. 28 December 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  24. ^ Luhn, Alec (28 November 2017). "Multinational satellite payload lost in the sea as Russian rocket fails to make orbit". telegraph.co.uk. Telegraph.
  25. ^ "Новости. РОСКОСМОС. АМЕРИКАНСКИЕ И ГЕРМАНСКИЕ МАЛЫЕ КОСМИЧЕСКИЕ АППАРАТЫ ВЫВЕДЕНЫ НА ОРБИТУ ЗЕМЛИ".
  26. ^ "Russia inaugurates Vostochny Cosmodrome with semi-commercial Soyuz launch". SpaceNews. 27 December 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  27. ^ "International Space Station - Space Station Assembly". NASA. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  28. ^ Catherine Putz (2 June 2015). "World's Most Important Spaceport Turns 60". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  29. ^ "Plesetsk Cosmodrome". U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  30. ^ "Russia to kick off construction of a new spaceport - BBC News". BBC News. 20 July 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  31. ^ a b "New Space Port Will Boost Launch Ability". The Moscow Times. 26 January 2011.
  32. ^ "ВЗГЛЯД / Лучше свое и новое". Vz.ru. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  33. ^ a b "Vostochny: Space Haven of the 21st Century". Roscosmos. 26 January 2011. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  34. ^ Messier, Doug (5 November 2012). "Vostochny: A Spaceport to Nowhere?". Parabolic Arc. Archived from the original on 4 July 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
  35. ^ "Russia's Bid to Pull Ahead in Space Race Isn't Going to Plan".
  36. ^ "Four More Jailed For Corruption At Cosmodrome Project In Russia's Far East", Radio Free Europe/Radio Free Liberty, 12 November 2021
  37. ^ Berger, Eric (1 December 2020). "Russian spaceport officials are being sacked left and right". Ars Technica. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
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