The journey to Baikonur

The small Aral Sea. The isthmus and the dam that separates the Small Aral Sea from the Large Aral Sea can be seen on the left side. The dam has allowed the small sea fed by the Syr Darya to recover part of its original level. To the contrary, the Large Aral Sea is considered as permanently lost. The Aral Sea from space. DSCF4992 The Kazakhstan plains, the white patches are salt lakes. DSCF2037 mod
Far away, the Baikonur cosmodrome. The MIK 112 is the building where the Starsem satellite preparation facilities are located. The city of Baikonur surrounded to the east and south by the Syr Darya River and north and west by a wall. The village of Tyuratam in the foreground is located in Kazakhstan. Only Russian and Kazakh can move freely in and out the city of Baikonur. Others must be escorted by security guards to get to the Baikonur cosmodrome or to the airport located respectively to the north and to the west of the city. DSCF2055 mod Krainy airport
At the exit of the airport. At the entrance of the city, the memorial of the fiftieth anniversary of Baikonur. The first buildings just after crossing the wall surrounding the city.