Energia Command Post (Site 250a)
The Baikonur Cosmodrome was once a secluded military facility. These days, it operates as a civilian site, accessible with the appropriate passes, though certain areas still remain off-limits to the public. Interestingly, as of 2017, tourists visiting the Baikonur Cosmodrome can explore the command complex at Launch Pad 250, which was once the launch site for the enormous Energia rockets. Here, you can put yourself in the shoes of a rocket scientist, pushing the "start" button and launching a rocket into the cosmos!
The command post is a vast bunker the size of a football field, appearing from the outside as a huge earthen mound. Inside, it spans several floors, complete with thick walls, heavy-duty doors, corridors, and halls. This fortress-like protection is designed to withstand a rocket explosion or a crash, even though the launch pad is more than 3 km away.
During the restoration of the command post's halls for tourists and the reconnection of power, it was found that nearly all the equipment remained operational, even after three decades. The halls house systems for rocket launching, refueling, firefighting, video surveillance, and many other special systems.
Site 250a was constructed in the early 1980s specifically for the Buran-Energia program. At the time, it was the most advanced rocket launch control station due to its extensive use of computers. The Energia launch vehicle was controlled from this site. On May 15, 1987, the Energia launch vehicle, carrying the Polus spacecraft, was launched from Pad 250 of the UKSS. Although the rocket functioned as expected, an error in the satellite's orbit correction led to its descent into the Pacific Ocean. The Buran-Energia program was officially shut down in 1993, and the command post was subsequently mothballed.
Nowadays, it's the only command post at the cosmodrome that's open to tourists. If you're planning a tour to Baikonur, don't miss the chance to visit this underground complex and step into the role of a rocketeer, pushing the red button to launch a rocket into space!
