Kazakhstan Postpones Decision on Local Soyuz-5 Production

Kazakhstan will decide on relocating production of the Soyuz-5 launch vehicle only after its first test flight, Orda.kz reports.

The launch is currently scheduled for December 2025 and already has a potential commercial payload customer, according to sources familiar with the Baiterek project. At the same time, a return to the project’s original name, SUNKAR, is under discussion. The rebranding would emphasize Kazakhstan’s role and create a degree of separation from Russian jurisdiction.

Another proposal being considered is placing commercial advertising on the rocket to increase market interest and offset launch costs.

The Ministry of Digital Development confirmed that localization of production remains under review but will depend on the results of the initial flight. The test will help assess the rocket's technical performance and the readiness of the upgraded infrastructure.

The Baiterek project, a joint venture between Kazakhstan and Russia based on a 2004 intergovernmental agreement, divides responsibilities: Russia provides the launch vehicle, while Kazakhstan oversees construction and modernization work.

The rocket will launch from the historic Gagarin Start, officially transferred to Kazakhstan earlier this year.

Created in 2005, the Baiterek project has already received significant investment. Public data indicate that over 60 billion tenge has been allocated for 2025, with total costs nearing 100 billion tenge.

Original Author: Oksana Matvienko