Baikonur

British

/ baɪˈkəʊnə /

noun

a launching site for spacecraft in central Kazakhstan; formerly the centre for the Soviet space programme, now leased from Kazakhstan by Russia

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But Lier acknowledged there were "vintage" and "moving" aspects of the launchpad because it is so similar to the Baikonur Cosmodrome, where the first human in space, Yuri Gagarin, launched from in 1961.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

In 2012, Williams launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a 127-day mission as a member of Expedition 32/33.

From Science Daily • Jan. 22, 2026

Last month a Soyuz rocket decorated to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany blasted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome.

From BBC • May 7, 2025

Amid occasional disputes with Kazakhstan over Baikonur’s use, Russian authorities declared that the country needs a full-fledged space facility of its own while emphasizing that it will continue to use Baikonur.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 13, 2023

Early the next morning, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Soviet Union, Sergei Korolev stood outside a massive hangar as the doors slid open.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023