According to Russian media reports, enterprises that are part of the state corporation Roskosmos are preparing for the conservation of the launch pad of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, from which Yuri Gagarin set off to conquer outer space. This decision was made due to the lack of funds for the modernization of the site for launching Soyuz-2 rockets.
This year, the 1st site of the Baikonur Cosmodrome will be used twice. Soyuz MS-13 and Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft will be launched into space. When launching these vehicles, the last Soyuz-FG launch vehicles will be used up. Starting next year, launches of manned spacecraft will be carried out using the Soyuz-2 rocket from the 31st site of the cosmodrome, which was upgraded earlier. As for the 1st site, it will be decommissioned, since it can only be used to launch Soyuz-FG launch vehicles.
Due to the stoppage of the operation of the 1st site, all employees serving this facility will have to relocate to the 31st site. In total, 300 people who are part of the launch crew will be moved. It is worth noting that the unit is not working at full strength, since one launch pad should be served by 450 people. If two sites are used in the Operation Center No. 1 of the Yuzhny Space Center, then 800 people should be involved in servicing the complex.
Recall that the "Gagarin launch" is called the site of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, used to launch the Vostok rocket on April 12, 1961, which launched the ship of the same name and cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin into space.
Source: 3dnews.ru