Latest news with #spacehistory
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Want to glamp at the world's first cosmodrome? That could soon be a reality
While Russia continues to lease Baikonur Cosmodrome, it has so far returned over fifty decommissioned facilities to Kazakhstan. The government now plans to use them to create a vibrant tourism ecosystem, drawing visitors year-round, and not just for rocket launches. It is planning to develop visitor infrastructure around iconic sites such as Gagarin's launchpad — the oldest and most famous launch pad at Baikonur, where the world's first human spaceflight was made by Yuri Gagarin on Vostok 1 in 1961 — with immersive experiences, hotels, glamping facilities, and a children's camp. The government has handed oversight of Gagarin's decommissioned launchpad to its national aerospace committee company, which will now be handling funding, maintenance, and general management, paving the way for tourism development. Russia finalised the transfer of the site to Kazakhstan in June. Related Astana: Don't miss these must-see sights on your next trip to Kazakhstan's capital 'In the future, the Kazakh side can turn it into a tourist site — a place where visitors can come, explore, and connect with the history of the very launchpad from which the first human journeyed into space, from Kazakh soil,' says the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan at the Baikonur Complex, Kairat Nurtay. 'A powerful source of inspiration' The tourism concept for Baikonur is set to be approved in September, and the first step will involve inspecting decommissioned facilities for safety. To preserve its cosmic heritage, iconic sites will be reconstructed as part of an open-air museum. This includes Gagarin's launchpad and the Assembly and Fueling Complex — once used for the final preparation of the powerful Energia rocket and Buran shuttle, a spaceplane designed as a response to the US Space Shuttle programme. Plans also include building essential infrastructure such as hotels, glamping areas, visitor centres with retail zones, restaurants, and a children's camp. 'Space is, above all, a dream for humanity — a dream to explore galaxies and discover new planets," says the Chairman of the Aerospace Committee, Baubek Oralmagambetov. "This kind of tourism is a powerful source of inspiration, especially for children. It helps them learn the history of space exploration, become motivated by its achievements, and strive to study harder and set higher goals.' Witnessing rocket launches from a yurt Last year, Kazakhstan installed a metal-structured yurt at a viewing platform near Baikonur's 31st launch pad, offering tourists a chance to watch rocket launches up close. So far this year, visitors have witnessed three launches, with three more scheduled before December. The most recent was a Russian cargo mission. A Soyuz rocket lifted off at 12:32am on 4 July, carrying the unmanned Progress 92 spacecraft with nearly three tonnes of food, fuel, and supplies for the International Space Station. It docked with the Poisk module the following day. Authorities estimate that with expanded lodgings, Baikonur could welcome up to 50,000 visitors a year by 2029 — a fivefold jump from current figures. 'At the moment, we are developing four areas of ground-based space tourism. The first is educational tours. The second is cultural and discovery-based tours. The third focuses on event-driven tourism. And the fourth includes adventure and active tours — possibly in the form of large-scale road trips like drive forums, and so on," says said Chief Manager of the Management Board Chairman's Office at Kazakh Tourism, Leila Bakytova. "As for MICE [ed. Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions] tourism, there are many exciting event formats around the world that could be brought here.' Experts say the potential is just beginning to be tapped, with ideas for interactive exhibits and hands-on simulations. 'It would be amazing if people could witness a rocket launch with their own eyes — to feel, even for a moment, like Korolev himself, giving the command to launch. Thanks to new technologies, visitors could simulate the experience of launching a rocket from the control centre," explains museum expert Rinat Kutdussov. Related Kazakhstan to regain legendary Soviet space launch site, 'Gagarin's start' "Even if it's on screens or in virtual form, they could still take part — immersed in the soundscape, surrounded by multimedia effects, perhaps even observing astronauts, robots, or mission teams at work. "The idea is to make them feel like part of the crew.' Tourism and Kazakhstan's space ambitions go hand in hand Baikonur's growing tourism ambitions align with Kazakhstan's broader space strategy. One of its key goals is to commercialise Soyuz rocket launches by 2028 using upgraded local infrastructure, as part of the Russian-Kazakh Baiterek project. 'The first test flight will take place at the end of this year,' says Oralmagambetov. 'The second and third test launches are planned for 2026 and 2027, followed by commercialisation in 2028. Both foreign and Kazakh customers will be able to send their space cargo.' Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has confirmed that construction of the Baiterek Space Rocket Complex and development of the Soyuz-5 rocket remain on schedule. According to Roscosmos, the rocket will launch from Baikonur in December this year. For now, rocket launches remain Baikonur's main tourist attraction. Officials say the transformation is only beginning — but it's designed to inspire everyone, from curious schoolchildren to lifelong space enthusiasts. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA Wasn't Happy When Astronaut John Young Smuggled This Food Into Space
On March 23, 1965, NASA launched astronauts Virgil "Gus" Grissom and John Young into orbit on the Gemini III mission. The launch was the result of countless hours of preparation and research, and, of course, millions upon millions of dollars. Every detail of the mission was meticulously planned, including approved foods that could be eaten once up and out of the atmosphere. NASA didn't send many provisions on the mission (it was less than five hours long). In fact, there were only rations for Young. Young took it upon himself to smuggle in a meal for Grissom, one he knew that Grissom enjoyed. The sneaky astronaut tucked a corned beef sandwich on rye bread into his spacesuit without informing NASA, a move which the space giant (and Congress) wasn't happy about once the secret was uncovered. Once the astronauts were in orbit, Young passed the sandwich to his commander, who ate some of the sandwich but hid the remainder in his own pocket. It's unclear when NASA found out about the unapproved food, but the two rule-breakers were disciplined by their employer once the beef was out of the bag. The event even appears in the Guinness Book of World Records as the first food smuggled into space, further cementing the exchange in history. The sandwich (or rather, a replica caked in resin) and the incident is memorialized at the Grissom Memorial Museum in Mitchell, Indiana. You may be wondering what the big deal is. The fact is, any foods allowed to go out of this world are thoroughly vetted because certain items can be downright dangerous for either the astronauts or the spacecraft itself. Read more: Once Popular Sandwiches People Don't Eat Anymore Space food and menu planning are an important part of any space mission. Not only do the nutritional and caloric needs of the astronauts need to be taken into account, but logistics as well. For example, there's limited storage space. If a food is too bulky, it might get banned to prioritize smaller, more calorie-dense items. The lack of gravity is another factor, as is any mess potential. In fact, mess is precisely why bread is on NASA's list of banned foods. Bread crumbs will begin to float in the absence of gravity and could potentially end up in an astronaut's eye or in important equipment. Tortillas are NASA's preferred type of grain. For similar reasons, salt and pepper are also not allowed in space, but that doesn't mean space food must be bland. Liquid seasonings have been developed for astronauts to use. Carbonated drinks like sodas stay on earth. In space, the carbon dioxide (bubbles) in these beverages don't rise up and out of the liquid. If a person were to drink one in orbit, they'd be ingesting more carbonation than they would if they were drinking one on earth. This can cause stomach aches. Space food has come a long way since the first Mercury missions, where food was largely freeze-dried, unappetizing, and packaged in aluminum tubes. As space exploration has evolved, so has the menu for astronauts. It's unclear whether corned beef (which isn't the same as pastrami) on tortillas is allowed to go to infinity and beyond, but we do know that bacon already made it to the moon with NASA's approval. For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more! Read the original article on The Takeout.
