Kazakhstan and world mark 50 years since first manned flight into space

ASTANA. April 13. KAZINFORM On 12 April 1961, the first manned space flight with Soviet astronaut Yuri Gagarin on board marked a fundamental stage in the history of technological progress of the whole human race. The flight had become one of the most striking events of the twentieth century and brought huge benefits to almost every field of human activity, from astrophysics and telecommunications to meteorology and agriculture.

The flight affirmed the importance of the peaceful uses of outer space for the benefit of the mankind, and became a platform for a close and productive cooperation to promote universal peace and development. The Kazakhs are proud that this flight has taken off from their soil and ever since then the steppe nation has been part of the family of those with serious connections to and major ambitions regarding space exploration, press service of the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports.

On 7 April 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring 12 April the International Day of Human Space Flight. This year, the unanimously adopted resolution marks the fiftieth anniversary of the flight of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and reaffirms "the important contribution of space science and technology in achieving sustainable development goals and increasing the well-being of States and peoples."

"Fifty years have passed since that amazing voyage, but the legend of Gagarin's courage and journey to the 'final frontier' continues to be a source of inspiration for space exploration for peoples and nations around the world," UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Kiyo Akasaka said at the opening of the exhibition to celebrate the event in New York on 7 April.

On 11 April, President Nursultan Nazarbayev sent a congratulatory telegram to Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev on the 50^th anniversary of the first manned flight into space in history.

"On behalf of the people of Kazakhstan and me personally I congratulate you and the people of Russia on the 50^th anniversary of the historic flight of Yuri Gagarin into space. The first manned space flight was a milestone for mankind. It was the greatest achievement of our science and technology, the result of the collective hard work, common effort of all the fraternal nations. I am glad that Kazakhstan and Russia develop joint space programmes. I am confident our fruitful cooperation will continue further for the benefit of our states and nations, for the benefit of all mankind," the telegram reads.

As millions, if not billions, around the world know, Kazakhstan is the country which houses the launch facility, Baikonur, from which the first ever flight of Gagarin, as well as many other cosmonauts later on, was sent into space.

"Stellar road of the humanity began with Kazakhstan's Baikonur. For the past half century space ships and apparatuses have been launched from Baikonur, and after completion of their missions the astronauts received a warm welcome on our land," President Nazarbayev emphasised in the telegram.

Baikonur is the world's first and largest operational space launch facility established in the country in 1955. The expense of building the spaceport as well as several hundred kilometres of new roads and train lines made the construction one of the most costly infrastructure projects the Soviet Union has ever undertaken. By 1966, a supporting town Baikonur (formerly Leninsk) was built around the facility to provide housing, schools and support infrastructure for its workers. The shape of the area is an ellipse measuring 90 kilometres east to west by 85 kilometres north to south, with the spaceport at the centre.

Today, Baikonur is fully equipped with facilities for launching both manned and unmanned spacecraft, and continues to remain a busy spaceport with numerous commercial, military and scientific missions launched annually. Besides the first manned orbital flight by Yuri Gagarin, many other historic flights lifted off from Baikonur, including the first man-made satellite Sputnik 1 in 1957, the first spacecraft to travel close to the Moon Luna 1, and the flight of the first woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova.

Cosmonauts and astronauts of many different nations and generations have started their historic journeys from the Kazakh land. The nation takes special pride in Kazakh cosmonauts Tokhtar Aubakirov and Talgat Mussabayev, with the latter spending 341 days in the space during his several flights, in two of which, Soyuz TM-27 and Soyuz TM-32 (start) and Soyuz TM-31 (landing), he was the commander. Today, Mussabayev is the Chairman of the National Space Agency of Kazakhstan which was established in 2007, while Aubakirov is an active politician within the Azat Nationwide Social Democratic Party and former deputy to Parliament.

In addition, during the temporary lapse of the United States' Space Shuttle programme after the Columbia Disaster in 2003, Baikonur played an essential role in operating and resupplying of the International Space Station (ISS) with Soyuz and Progress spacecraft.

After the breakup of the USSR in 1991, the Russian space programme continues to operate from Baikonur under the auspices of the Commonwealth of Independent States. On 8 June 2005, an agreement between Russia and Kazakhstan extending Russia's rent term of the spaceport until 2050 was ratified.

Furthermore, in 2004 Kazakhstan and Russia signed a contract on the establishment of a joint venture "Russia-Kazakhstan Baiterek" at Baikonur, in which each country holds 50 percent. The goal of the project is the construction of the Baiterek Space Launch Complex to facilitate operations of the Angara rocket launcher. In accordance with the Agreement, Kazakhstan's Government is obliged to allot a budget credit of US$ 225 million for the period of 19 years to the Baiterek joint enterprise, which is the major international project in space industry within the former Soviet States.

The 12^th of April is widely celebrated in the post-Soviet countries, while the commemoration of this day is especially relevant in the town of Baikonur. This year, a Gagarin relay and a bicycle race started from one of the launch pads of the spaceport, from which the historic flight was actually launched. People also laid flowers to the monuments of Yuri Gagarin and the man behind Soviet triumphs in space race, the constructor Sergei Korolyov. A theatrical performance, a concert by the famous Alexandrov ensemble of the Ministry of Defence of Russian Federation, and an aitys (Kazakh traditional competition in improvised recital on a given topic accompanied by dombyra ) themed "Baikonur means road to space" were also held this day. At night, the skies of the famous city were lit by the fireworks.

In Astana, a photo exhibition "On skazal: Poekhali" (He said: Let's Go!), titled after Gagarin's famous phrase at lift off in 1961 opened in the Baiterek Tower on April 12. There, visitors get an opportunity to see unique archival photographs many of which have never been displayed before. The exhibition is organised by the RIA Novosti news agency, the Russian Embassy in Kazakhstan, and the office of Rossotrudnichestvo (Russian agency for international cooperation) in Kazakhstan.