Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31

Site 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan, is a launch site used by derivatives of the R-7 Semyorka missile. From 2011 onwards, it was supposed to be the launch site for manned Soyuz missions to the International Space Station, when launches switched from the Soyuz-FG carrier rocket to the Soyuz-2, which was unable to use the launch pad at Site 1/5. However, Site 1/5 has undergone modifications that allow the manned ISS missions to be launched from it. Only few manned missions to the International Space Station are launched from Site 31/6 (Soyuz TMA-06M, Soyuz TMA-15M, Soyuz MS-02), when Site 1/5 is unavailable.

It was first used on 14 January 1961, for an R-7A ICBM test mission. It is currently used for commercial Soyuz-FG/Fregat missions, and Soyuz-2 launches. In the 1970s and early 1980s, several manned missions were launched from the site.

A panorama of the Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31 taken from atop the Soyuz support structure. A Zenit facility can be seen in the distance.

See also

• Gagarin's Start (Baikonur Site 1)

References

• "Baikonur LC31". Encyclopedia Astronautica. 

Literature

• «Korolev: Facts and myths» - J. K. Golovanov, M: Nauka, 1994, - ISBN 5-02-000822-2;
• "Rockets and people" – B. E. Chertok, M: "mechanical engineering", 1999. ISBN 5-217-02942-0 (Russian);
• «A breakthrough in space» - Konstantin Vasilyevich Gerchik, M: LLC "Veles", 1994, - ISBN 5-87955-001-X;
• "Testing of rocket and space technology - the business of my life" Events and facts - A.I. Ostashev, Korolyov, 2001.;
• "Baikonur. Korolev. Yangel." - M. I. Kuznetsk, Voronezh: IPF "Voronezh", 1997, ISBN 5-89981-117-X;
• "Look back and look ahead. Notes of a military engineer" - Rjazhsky A. A., 2004, SC. first, the publishing house of the "Heroes of the Fatherland" ISBN 5-91017-018-X.
• "Rocket and space feat Baikonur" - Vladimir Порошков, the "Patriot" publishers 2007. ISBN 5-7030-0969-3
• "Unknown Baikonur" - edited by B. I. Posysaeva, M.: "globe", 2001. ISBN 5-8155-0051-8

R-7 rockets
Main articles	R-7 family R-7 Semyorka
Rockets	Missiles R-7 Semyorka R-7A Semyorka Launch Systems Sputnik Polyot Voskhod Vostok Luna Vostok-L Vostok-K Vostok-2 Vostok-2M Molniya Molniya Molniya-M Molniya-L Soyuz Soyuz/Vostok Soyuz Soyuz-L Soyuz-M Soyuz-U Soyuz-U2 Soyuz-FG Soyuz-2 Soyuz 2.1a / STA Soyuz 2.1b / STB Soyuz 2-1v
Launch sites	Baikonur Site 1/5 Site 31/6 Plesetsk Site 41/1 Site 16/2 Site 43/3 Site 43/4 Kourou ELS Vostochny Site 1S
Launches	1957-1959 1960-1964 1965-1969 1970-1974 1975-1979 1980-1984 1985-1989 1990-1994 1995-1999 2000-2004 2005-2009 2010-2014 2015-2019
See also	Korolyov Cross Soyuz at the Guiana Space Centre RD-107 (engine)

Coordinates: 45°59′46″N 63°33′51″E / 45.99611°N 63.56417°E / 45.99611; 63.56417