Russia, Kazakhstan complete handover of Zenit-M launch facility at Baikonur

Kazakhstan and Russia have completed the handover of ground infrastructure of the Zenit-M space launch facility at the Baikonur space center, the Aerospace Committee of the Defense and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan has told TASS.

"At present, work to hand over ground infrastructure of the Zenit-M space launch facility has been completed. The sides have initiated the process of signing the joint Act of handover and acceptance," the committee said in its response to a TASS request.

Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement to build the Baiterek space launch facility at the Baikonur space center on the sidelines of the Army 2018 forum on August 22. In this project, Kazakhstan is responsible for creating the ground infrastructure of the launch compound by modernizing the existing Zenit-M launch facility.

The first test launch from the Baiterek space rocket compound is expected to be carried out by late 2022. Unlike other facilities located at the Baikonur space center, which Russia leases from Kazakhstan, the Baiterek launch facility will be the property of Kazakhstan.