Baikonur tour: Soyuz MS-14 launch

Our group of space fans has just returned from Baikonur launchsite where on August 22 at 08.38 local time, Soyuz MS-14 spacecraft with anthropomorphous robot FEDOR aboard was successfully launched.

That will definitely remain a lifetime memory as we witnessed a historical event indeed since it was the first time an android was launched to space breaking new ground in the history of space exploration.

For the entire tour we felt ourselves real space students visiting lots of historical sites of the spaceport and learning lots of new things. The program turned to be very eventful and full of impressions.

Our journey started with a guided tour to the International Space School one of its kind that prepares future aerospace industry professionals. Setting highest standards of education the school also encourages students’ ambitions and teaches them to love and respect the field they are going to work for.

We witnessed the roll-out and installation of the rocket on the launchpad, visited historical site #1 (Gagarin Launchpad) – the cradleland of space exploration, monument to the first artificial satellite of the Earth. All tour participants were thrilled with excursion to the cosmodrome museum complex and Gagarin and Korolyov memorial houses. And the most touching here was probably a visit to the full-size mock-up of Buran orbiter representing shattered dreams of Soviet space program.

We also had a sightseeing tour around the city with numerous monuments and walked along historical Cosmonauts Alley where all cosmonauts and astronauts going to space for the first time aboard Russian Soyuz plant a tree following the tradition established by Yuri Gagarin. For every visitor of Baikonur it’s a must do thing – to see the tree planted by Gagarin.

One of the brightest impressions on our schedule was guided tour around the launchsite in the framework of which we visited such facilities ad Saturn tracking station, Proton launch pad, Energia – Buran complex that looks like frozen in the past.

The highlight of the whole our program was the launch itself. The view of the rocket lifting off was really fascinating! Ending with this event the whole tour was entertaining, comprehensive and emotional!

We invite all space fans to join our unforgettable space adventures. Space is awaiting you!