Inside the deserted dynamic testing stand (SDI), the 60-meter Energia still towers. This is an authentic flight model that never left Earth. Seeing this masterpiece of engineering in person is an incredible experience and a rare chance to touch history. The building is located a few dozen meters from the MZK facility, and the two main symbols of the ambitious program now silently neighbor each other in the quiet of abandoned hangars.
A grandiose structure at Baikonur, where the super-heavy Energia rocket was once tested for structural integrity. Today, an authentic model of the legendary rocket is still hidden within its walls. A visit to this facility is an additional option and is paid separately.
Enter the hangar with the 59-meter Energia rocket
This flight model has stood motionless for over thirty years. It was built right here, and we will be able to approach the authentic spacecraft at arm's length. You will examine the famous heat-shielding tiles, hull elements, and the cabin, and you will be able to freely photograph and study the details of the legendary shuttle. In the deep silence of the enormous hangar, the guide will reveal the secrets of the project: how the vehicle was designed, why the country needed it, and why it was ultimately forgotten. We have analyzed the history of the Soviet shuttle and the fate of this specific 1.02 model in detail in the article "Buran 1.02 in the Baikonur hangar: where it is located and why the project was closed".
An essential part of the itinerary will be the city's Museum of Cosmodrome History, founded in 1968. Its halls house over 15,000 authentic artifacts: from models of early rockets and rare archival documents to the personal belongings of cosmonauts. The exhibition smoothly guides visitors through the eras: it details the evolution of rocket technology, introduces the stories of the outstanding builders of Baikonur, and also reveals the culture and ethnography of the steppe region in separate halls and modern temporary exhibitions.
The tour program includes an introduction to the city of Baikonur — a legendary science town that remained strictly classified for decades. You will walk unhurriedly along its historical streets, view significant monuments, and immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of the city where global space exploration was forged.
Baikonur city and museum tour
The giant MZK (Assembly and Fueling Facility) conceals the orbital shuttle 1.02. This fully assembled spacecraft from the Buran program never left Earth. Please note: the excursion to this location is booked for an additional fee.
See the authentic Buran spacecraft
It is along this service structure that the crew spends their final earthly minutes before flight. An elevator takes the cosmonauts to the so-called "ninth floor," where boarding the rocket begins. We have scheduled the ascent to the tower at the very break of dawn — the perfect time for those who appreciate heights and industrial aesthetics. At the top, you can truly feel the grandiose scale of Baikonur and take in the morning panorama of the complex in absolute silence.
Visit the cosmonaut elevator tower