T-ZERO Launch tracker

Watching launches from Baikonur, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan · Public viewing: Limited · No public viewing spots. Last verified 2026-10-02.

Baikonur is the world's first and largest cosmodrome, in the Kazakh steppe. It is legally leased to Russia, with its own city and a controlled-access regime. There is no public viewing area; the only legitimate route to an in-person view is an organised tour that obtains a permit, and a launch must align with approvals and a viewing programme.

Public viewing at Baikonur, Kazakhstan

Public viewing: Limited Viewing needs registration, a ticket, an organised tour, or is limited to a few specific spots.

Baikonur is a closed, Russian-administered area inside Kazakhstan. The public cannot walk up to watch a launch. Organised tourism is possible through accredited tour operators who obtain permits, and launch viewing depends on the mission and on approvals.

Official and primary sources for this label

If you cannot be there: Roscosmos streams Soyuz launches on its own channels. The launch page lists the webcast when Launch Library 2 has the link.

Stay out of restricted zones. Launch sites, safety zones and military areas are closed on purpose; entering them, or photographing them where that is banned, can bring fines, detention or worse under local law. Only use viewing places that the site operator, the local authority or an accredited tour operator names, and follow staff and police instructions.

Upcoming launches and crowd estimates

  1. Soyuz 2.1b | Progress MS-36 (97P)

    Low
    Nov 23, 2026, 11:03 PM CST
    Crowd estimate: Low. routine satellite batch (-2).

Crowd estimates are computed from launch type, local time and weekday; they are a guide, not a measurement. How we estimate it.

Map

The map is optional. Loading it contacts OpenStreetMap's tile servers, which sees your IP address; nothing loads until you press the button. Every spot is also listed below the map.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Tiles by OpenStreetMap, used under its tile usage policy.

Viewing spots

No fixed public viewing spots are published for this site; access is arranged case by case (see above). Site 31 coordinate from Wikipedia; approximate. Other pads (Site 81 for Proton, Site 200) are not in our data.

Road closures, official information and advisories

T-ZERO does not collect or republish closure data. Use the official or local sources below, and check them again on launch day.

The city page lists contacts and the tourism office; it does not publish launch-day closures.

Travel advisories and local rules

Baikonur city is administered by Russia, while the surrounding country is Kazakhstan. Many governments advise against travel to Russia and to Russian-controlled sites; read your own government's advice and check which country's rules apply to you.

Entry rules, permits and security conditions differ by country and change. Read your own government's current travel advice before you plan a trip around a launch.

Safety

Do not travel toward Baikonur without a confirmed permit and a licensed operator. Entering without a permit is not just refused at the boundary: unauthorised access to the closed zone is an offence. Follow the escort and photo rules on any tour. Steppe weather is extreme: hot summers, freezing winters.

Other launch areas