Historic & Record-Setting Spaceports Worldwide

Explore the launch sites that have made history, from the first orbital launches to those with the highest number of missions and unique geographical advantages.

The top 3

1. The World's First Orbital Launch Sites: The Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, established in 1955, is recognized as the world's first spaceport for orbital and human launches, achieving the first orbital flight (Sputnik 1) in October 1957 and the first human flight (Yuri Gagarin) in 1961.
2. Spaceports with the Most Launches: The Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia holds the record for the most launches since 1957 with 1,589, while Cape Canaveral / Kennedy Space Center in the U.S. and Baikonur Cosmodrome are among the busiest with hundreds of launches each.
3. Spaceports with Unique Geographical Advantages: The Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana benefits from its location just 5.2° north of the equator, allowing rockets to take advantage of the Earth's rotational speed for more efficient launches, while SpaceX's Starbase in Texas is notable as a private spaceport and a developing residential community.

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