Kazakhstan and Russia are gearing up to transition the “Baiterek” space project to commercial operations, with annual launches of the Soyuz-5/Sunkar rocket planned through 2028.

The announcement was made by cosmonaut Aydyn Aimbetov, who leads the joint Kazakh-Russian initiative, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

He emphasized that the number of future launches will depend on market demand, noting that the service is already sought after by commercial clients.

How the Project Works

Under the Baiterek program, Russia manufactures the rocket, while Kazakhstan develops and prepares the launch site. The first test launch is scheduled for March 2026, marking a key milestone toward fully operational commercial flights.

The Baiterek project represents a strategic partnership in aerospace, combining Russian rocket technology with Kazakh launch infrastructure to provide competitive commercial launch services for satellites and space missions.