Baikonur Cosmodrome
Originally constructed for the testing of intercontinental ballistic missiles, the Baikonur Cosmodrome is the launch complex where Sputnik 1, the Earth's first artificial satellite, was launched in 1957.
All Russian manned launches, from Yuri Gagarin's flight through missions to the International Space Station were launched from Baikonur.
The Baikonur Cosmodrome is actually located about about 200 miles southwest of Baikonur in Tyuratam in Kazakhstan. The Soviets intentionally named the site after a remote location to help hide the actual location of the launch complex.
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