Baikonur Cosmodrome: The Soviet Gateway to the Stars

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This video is #sponsored by Dollar Shave Club.
Our sister channels:
Biographics - / @biographics
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Credits:
Host - Simon Whistler
Author - Morris M
Producer - Jennifer Da Silva
Executive Producer - Shell Harris
Business inquiries to [e-mail]
Source/Further reading:
History: www.space.com/33947-baikonur-...
History (somewhat outdated site, but its info largely appears accurate): www.russianspaceweb.com/baikon...
www.russianspaceweb.com/baikon...
Sputnik: history.nasa.gov/sputnik/
www.esa.int/Science_Explorati...
Sergei Pavlovich Korolev: www.theguardian.com/science/2...
Laika and Sputnik II: www.space.com/17764-laika-fir...
Kazakhstan-Russia lease agreement: www.globalsecurity.org/space/...
On rituals and faith in spaceflight: www.popularmechanics.com/spac...
www.bbc.com/future/article/20...
Clip from The White Sun of the Desert: • Vladimir Motyl. The Wh...

[@geographicstravel]

Thank you Dollar Shave Club for making this one possible! Get Dollar Shave Club here! dollarshaveclub.com/geographics

[@xtramoist9999]

Check out Simon's other-other-other-other-other-other-other channel Business Blaze! It's a lot of fun! I got ya, bro.

[@MrWhangdoodles]

One of the beardiest people recommending shaving appliances. Brilliant.

[@richcity3573]

After World War II the Russians stole missile technology from the Germans in 1945 year then appropriated themselves allegedly they created,America also stole rocket technology of the Germans

[@tribalrhino]

Booo fellow brit, they don't ship to the UK anymore/ever/currently :(

[@mjuneoginn]

Revision: The Soviets' Gateway to Space... And Intercontinental Ballistic Warfare._

[@CallieMasters5000]

Only Simon can be sponsored by a shave club and a hair growth company, neither of which he uses.

[@SEAZNDragon]

He does but the razors for his head and the hair growth for his beard.

[@dragonsword7370]

A conversation from venture bros. "Shaving? What are y- THATS. My Daisy! I use that for my head." "But dad, I thought God shaved your head?" "He does Dean... but he always leaves the sides and back!"

[@fishflake1209]

**FIVE POINTS VIDS has entered the chat**

[@whatyoumakeofit6635]

@Ferry Heerdink gillette boycott? What is this about ? I use gillette, is there something I should know ? Thank you

[@SEAZNDragon]

@@whatyoumakeofit6635 A year ago Gillete release an ad called "The Best Man Get Be." You should be able to find it on KZbin. The commercial basically tried to encouraged men to behave better and not engage in toxic masculinity (ex. tell your buddy not to catcall or excusing two boys fighting as "boys will be boys"). For some reason this pissed off some men and a boycott was called.

[@ferrodeus4090]

One of my favorite bits of knowledge about Korolev is that, when Sakharov and some of his colleagues went to visit Korolev to explain why they couldnt make the warheads any lighter, Korolev just smiled and said something to the effect of "alright, I see. I'll get back to working on vetter missiles then." When asked why he seemed so happy about having to undertake more work, he led them to a globe standing on a counter and told the nuclear physisists and engineers about his dreams. He dreamed of mankind one day going to space, but he knew there was no way the Soviet government would fund such a program at the time. So, he said, he decided to do the closest thing possible, and design extremely long-range missiles. Because who knows, if he keeps having to make better rockets for bombs, someday he might be able to put a person in one, and send them to space.

[@dfuher968]

Korolev is such an interesting person. Both a brilliant scientist and a tragic figure. And also the personification of the selfdestructive nature of the Soviet Union, as he died due to their shortsighted, unfounded and inhuman treatment of him, and with him died not just the lead in the Space Race, but the heart, the soul and the competence of the Soviet Space Program. The short history of the Soviet Union is filled with such mindboggling incompetence and shortsightedness, making them their own worst enemy. But noone personifies it more clearly than Korolev. I am always left wondering, how the Space Race and the further exploration of space would have evolved, had Korolev survived.

[@Cemi_Mhikku]

@@dfuher968 Stalin literally fucked up everything he ever touched.

[@mtshyna]

Nice.

[@JimAllen-Persona]

He sounds kind of like the Russian Feynman.

[@gpkarter71]

The show “for all mankind” legit pivots our timeline massively, based on the fact he survived in 1965. The SU made it past 1991 😂

[@CallieMasters5000]

In Soviet Russia, Ruble Shave Club is a woman with one straight razor who comes to your house.

[@thesauceman8457]

In Japan its Yen Katana Klubaru

[@repletereplete8002]

for 2 rubles she'll be launched into orbit to make house calls at the ISS.

[@atomic_wait]

@@thesauceman8457 Hyaku-en Kiri-zaibatsu

[@robbedoeslegrand236]

In that case, it is the RuBBle shave club.

[@SAnn-rf3oz]

LoL🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🍀

[@mrmacguff1n]

The launch rituals sound like the beginning of the Tech Priests from 40k

[@beruman]

machine spirits demand a golden shower and some landscaping on the blasted steppe

[@jovee6155]

The emperor protects

[@jovee6155]

It also sounds like an SCP foundation ritual

[@stagofsteelport]

Oh my abs

[@mrmacguff1n]

@@stagofsteelport I see you too follow the path of the Swole

[@into_the_void]

America : we must go to space ! Tunguska Soviet Russia : space comes to you..!

[@shebbs1]

The Tunguska Event was in 1908, 9 years before Soviet times.

[@davidroberts1689]

@@shebbs1 close enough, 1908 1917 whatever.

[@samosasosa6684]

@@davidroberts1689 let's not get facts in the way.

[@oldworldpatriot8920]

@@shebbs1 pro-Soviet sentiment was brewing strong during Tunguska.

[@alexmiller3349]

My grandmother met my grandfather on one of the Baikonur construction sites, she was a civil engineer, he was an officer in the Soviet army combat engeneers.

[@rollog1248]

Okay Korolev, enough fun in the gulag! Time to make Sputnik!

[@markwilliams7712]

Oh, those Russians.

[@OPEK.]

Why is a soda tweeting at me

[@NenadKralj]

@@markwilliams7712 HAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHA :D

[@doodleboi7034]

My BABYYYYYYYY

[@henrysmommy7]

I love the fact that the cosmonaut rituals are something they have everyone who's flying out of there participate in. It's a unique way to bring everyone together in a clearly very silly and inclusive way. Seems like a good plan right before they all embark on what is definitely an extreme experience that will require teamwork to accomplish...

[@martinsundhaug4701]

There's also a female version of the pee-break - they bring a sample. There are other traditions in space-travel: Astronauts travelling out of KSC will have a steak etc for breakfast. During critical mission-phases the JPL mission-control room will have peanuts, ...

[@therealturdferguson8355]

Martin Sundhaug let’s not forget the fastbass!

[@davidolsen2495]

Definitely agree

[@michaelbee2165]

@@martinsundhaug4701 That would be Cape Canaveral.

[@GonkDroid0923]

Pissing on the bus is actually smart. The cosmonauts get to empty there blader before there 3-9 hour journey to the ISS.

[@Zman44444]

Biographics on Yuri Gagarin. His story seems... amazing. A peasant from nowhere to cosmonaut. That’s some goals.

[@r.a.alvarez6063]

By reason of that punch to the jaw, the USSR planted their own demise. They lost not because of what they were doing but because of what they had done.

[@danieljob3184]

I have yet to design a spacecraft epic enough to deserve the name Korolev.

[@michaelbee2165]

@@danieljob3184 Thank you but that's been done. The world knows that epic as Apollo. Perhaps his name can be part of the next great epic. It seems he earned it.

[@goodchessactor]

Guard: "Come with us Sergei Pavlovich. You must help send satellite." Korolev:"You can do it yourself, it is not rocket science." Guard: Ah, but it is, Sergei, it is!

[@elnicedude559]

"And after you must help send satellite, you must go back Gulag."

[@hds66nl29]

Come with us Sergei, it is god's, uhhhh Stalin's will.

[@SEAZNDragon]

6:00 anyone had flashbacks to the Cannibal Island episode?

[@TickleBall]

SEAZNDragon YES!!!

[@billrentz]

That one gave me nightmares!

[@WTF-vv8ic]

👍

[@22steve5150]

The soviets couldn't even assemble a lego set without causing untold human suffering.

[@Veregh]

“Eyes up, guardian” 👻 Yes...it’s the Destiny videogame’s cosmodrome

[@latenightgaming5057]

Thank you🤣 I went through a bit of comments. But I knew someone wouldn't let me down❤

[@themrrandomname1251]

WEVE AWOKEN THE HIVE

[@HoloFlight_118]

That wizard came from the moon

[@Ellimanist15]

Whether we wanted it or not...

[@masterchief2279]

Indeed

[@cameronjenkins6748]

Okay, Sergei Korolev had nothing to do with the Nedelin disaster. The rocket designer in charge there was Mikhail Yangel, and he wasn't even at fault for the disaster. One first that wasn't mentioned was Luna 3, which gave us our first view of the far side of the moon. Next, Gagarin was not launched in a Soyuz, since that was only created after Korolev's death. Also, the first woman in space and first spacewalk happened while Korolev was still alive, not after he died. Just some little things...

[@adimifus]

Yuri Gagarin's flight was in a Vostok capsule. Vostok capsules were launched by Vostok rockets. Additionally, Voskhod capsules were launched by Voskhod rockets, and Soyuz capsules are launched by Soyuz rockets. It's pretty easy to remember 😉 They're all variants of the R-7, but a Soyuz variant never launched a Vostok.

[@cameronjenkins6748]

@@adimifus Exactly right.

[@altergreenhorn]

Jp and luna mean moon in Russian and some other languages not to forgot Luna 9 was first man made thing successfully landed on the moon surface only 3 years (rofl) before US supposed space victory by landing on the moon

[@theflanman420420]

Greenhorn well history doesn’t even mention that fact in the West so it doesn’t matter to us... we won.

[@22steve5150]

@@theflanman420420 did we? America's president seems to have his lips fixed to Russia's dictator's ass.

[@HovektheArtist]

I love it when the cosmodrome is brought up, one of the most interesting and important places of modern history, and to all Per audacia ad astra

[@alexandergustafsson2276]

This is the episode I didn't know I wanted! Just have to open a bottle of wine to accompany the episode... Geographics rocks!

[@whatyoumakeofit6635]

If the videos were only alittle longer. I just want more ! Lol

[@ilpazzo1257]

@@whatyoumakeofit6635 nah, totally doable to drink a bottle in 25 minutes on your own. :P

[@SAnn-rf3oz]

So agree with your philosophy!

[@whatyoumakeofit6635]

@@ilpazzo1257 lol. Ya, true that

[@SAnn-rf3oz]

LoL😂

[@exoplaymaster-9018]

Some centuries later in the Cosmodrome: A new Guardian has risen and prepares to kick Sepiks Primuses butt.

[@josephhalbohn5962]

I came here for this reference and was not disappointed

[@admiralsnackbar69]

Unless that hero was a hunter...who just sits in the shadows eating ramen 🤣

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:25 - Chapter 1 - The missiles are flying 4:30 - Chapter 2 - Sky's (no longer) the limit 8:00 - Chapter 3 - Satellite of love 11:20 - Mid roll ads 12:45 - Chapter 4 - The madman & the eagle 17:25 - Chapter 5 - Magic & ritual 20:40 - Chapter 6 - The gateway closes

[@barovan]

I love these Kazakh locations he does. LIving here I have been to both that I have seen, Baikanur and Semy! Thanks for the stories!

[@negativeindustrial]

Jeff Stier How is Borat doing these days? Please ask him to visit again.

[@jasonsan6708]

Would love to visit Kazakhstan one day such as Nur-Sultan and Almaty and of course Baikonour

[@JasonDoe1000]

Didn't Geographics just upload a video about the Hoover Dam yesterday? And here we have another one already Simon is really going to take over KZbin, not that I would complain

[@geographicstravel]

We try to do 4 a week on Bio and 2 a week on Geo. Sometimes we manage, sometimes we don’t :). And then there are the 7 a week on TopTenz, 7 on TIFO, 3 on Business Blaze... And the list goes on.

[@CaptainGyro]

@@geographicstravel Simon and Crew, you guys are amazing and a world treasure.

[@WildStar2002]

@@geographicstravel Are you twins, triplets, or more?

[@henryvandeventer2457]

@@WildStar2002 Well it's definitely not due to cloning. We all saw how that worked out for Michael Keaton in Multiplicity. A copy of a copy of a copy is never the best idea

[@JasonDoe1000]

@@WildStar2002 I mean there is Simon and then there is Michael from VSauce, so atleast twins

[@michaelhughes9553]

Simon, your lead- ins are getting really good. Keep up the great work!

[@whitenoise509]

Nice job, this is one of the best videos you guys have ever made!

[@EarthWormJM2]

Simon, Thank you. These videos are great and super interesting. Keep it up!!

[@AwfulWaffle8474]

I've been marathoning you channel. Keep it up mate.

[@judyfps5059]

Simon’s super clean aesthetic goes way under appreciated. Either way have a good day, much love from Kentucky , thanks for another enlightening video

[@liberate72000]

Another great piece. I thought knew everything about his story but you managed to cover areas I have never heard of. Thanks . Love all the pieces you do on the Soviet/ former Soviet Union.

[@ramacandra4554]

"In Soviet Russia, missile tests chose you"

[@whatyoumakeofit6635]

Ua...lmao

[@sagesheahan6732]

I can not believe that joke fell out of his mouth. lmfao. XD

[@raywollesenfortes7014]

Lost it right there when Simon pulled that joke. Lol!

[@PersonALANty]

Wait, isn't it like that with all missile tests..?

[@danielpickett8560]

One of the funniest things I've ever heard!

[@a24396]

I absolutely LOVE the rituals they've established over time... Obviously it's all nonsense, but it really makes each cosmonaut/astronaut part of a lineage and tradition - which is a really important of our collective human story. (Especially the tree planting 😀) such an interesting story, thanks so much for posting!

[@ChristineCAlb1]

Awesome. I love your Geographics and Biographics channels, especially the ones on the old Soviet Union. Very informative.

[@andrewlyon9292]

Thank you so much for having in-video ads! It’s so nice to not have my learning interrupted by a noisy ad (especially since I live in Taiwan and can’t even usually understand them lol) and is so nice to be able to listen to these videos as I go to sleep and not be rudely awaken by the ad at the end!

[@carschmn]

Love all the rituals the Soyuz crew have to go through.

[@dsandoval9396]

Yeah, that was pretty cool.

[@vitaliytereshchenko5722]

Let’s go!

[@martinsundhaug4701]

Having to go is what they do before they launch ;)

[@Christopher-N]

If I had the option, I would sneak a copy of _Dr. Strangelove_ into space with me.

[@HasBeensNAddicts]

I've been listening to you not to long after you started the TIFO podcast. For every major part of my later life, your voice is in the background lol. Thanks for the years & years of content

[@jeffpetric]

despite the number of comments that I don't understand, I appreciate your work and your channel, thank you

[@steveshoemaker6347]

You guys are the very best...An l thank you for it....Back in the 1950's l remember sitting in the living room in our house in Kentucky, listing to Sputnik...Beep on our big Radio Set....All those many years ago now....Dame l am old....Thanks again...1

[@vernicethompson4825]

Thank you for this video. I have learned a lot from this one.

[@westernproducerSWP]

18:02 - "the Soyuz rocket..." but we're shown the N1 (the Nositel), the failed lunar rocket design.

[@tabc6870]

I’ve watched this 5 times completely enraptured! Well done!

[@Darkess343]

if that requires urinating on a bus and planting a tree to maintain then "SO-VI-ET" ba dum tssss...

[@LancasterResponding]

No. I refuse to laugh.

[@MrStubbs8157]

The craziest thing is the poor guy, that had to fly up to the MIR spacestation in the midst of a revolution/breakdown and got forgotten up there for freakin 1 year. Thats soo crazy.

[@kempyj98]

I’ve spent all day on these videos and I can’t imagine I’ll be doing much else tomorrow

[@michaelhowell2326]

Man, I love these videos. Could you guys at Geographics do me a solid and make a video about the Potola Palace? Thanks.

[@DarkGlass824]

3:53 this is one of the main reasons I love anything Simon does........ :)

[@MAGGOT_VOMIT]

_Awesome vid and I can't wait to get my Dollar Shave club products._

[@SAnn-rf3oz]

LoL

[@alanramsay2821]

Would love to see you do a full Biographics feature on Sergei Korolev. What an absolutely brilliant man.

[@blakhorizon915]

Great story telling!!

[@QAMan23]

When I worked for Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space back in the late 90's, we used Baikonur to launch communications satellites all the time. There were only 4 good places on earth to launch from (Kazakhstan, Florida, French Guiana, and one other that was much less popular. The ESA would often launch from the French Guiana location). We did follow a few rituals borrowed from the crew at Baikonur and they seemed to bring us luck. I never saw a launch failure, though I do know of one that delayed everyone's schedule for at least a month. it happened on a pretty old launch pad that had never had a failure and was considered very lucky. Baikonur was like visiting a military camp. A very poor military camp as accommodations were spartan to put it mildly, but they got the job done and did it very well.

[@DaveStarr100.3]

When mixing these episodes with this particular microphone, you need to either run a de-esser or pull down some of those air frequencies. The sibilance is debilitating. He's already a rather sibilant voice talent, so some extra attention in these areas would be helpful. Otherwise great video! 👍

[@sethcable3107]

When things are going well it easy to forget what it feels to struggle. Try and look out for each other folks. A small act of kindness can do more good than you can imagine

[@randallporter4835]

A friend of mind as part of a launch and tour group got to go in the flame trench and scrounch for stuff. I got a big washer.

[@Luke..luke..luke..]

More of this!!!! Love it.

[@plushman3685]

I’d love to see a video on Carlsbad Caverns; the Ansel Adams photos are amazing there...also a good Biographics.

[@tonykennedy9811]

Fantastic! Great video 👍

[@mrdumbfellow927]

13:20 Holy cow, that dude stumbling around at the bottom of screen! The heat must have been insane.

[@markplain2555]

Baikonur was also chosen as it is one of the most Southern points of the Soviet Union. The closer one launches a rocket to the Equator the more "free load" you can carry into orbit. Hence the Baikonur's location us a geographic requirement.

[@AtliTobiasson]

Hence, NASA's launch sites also have their geographic locations

[@dvwegner]

You should do a biographics on the R-7/Soyuz rocket. One design, with progressive modifications leading to the current version that is still used to transport people to/from the ISS. It's not a person, but it does have a lengthy and important role in history.

[@kevinrice957]

Would be nice to have a link to the movie title, and pics of the hotel where they stay. I've been in post-soviet hotels and it's a decorating style that's fun to witness.

[@tasiatyler4662]

So interesting! Way to go GEO!

[@davidcox2264]

Great vid Simon

[@liviu-dantimar9492]

Oh Fact-Bway... pretty close, like to encourage and for being usual A+! 😅 Love your work, keep 'em pouring! : D

[@thetangieman3426]

I want a Business Blaze version of this so much. Soooo much.

[@respectbossmon8680]

A Soyuz launch facility was also built at the Guiana Space Center. Supposedly it was to provide a medium lift capacity Arianespace lacked. I wonder if they'll ever used for crewed launches?

[@akeembarnes-woessner7788]

Watching these and then realizing how close some events were to my birth or after is insane. I was so oblivious to world knowledge.

[@stevetreloar6602]

@2:00 or about there, that is footage of a US Pershing II tactical missile.

[@poordecisionsgarage9834]

Where I live in central Canada those temps are not out of the ordinary lol.

[@VincenzOmaha]

That green reflection in his glasses is almost all I can even see.

[@Urmum3469]

Can you do lake george, New York. It's near my home and it's been in the French and Indian war and revolutionary war. I think it has some pretty cool history and would make a good video.

[@robanybody4064]

Please do an episode on Poveglia, an island constructed on battlements near Venice in the late 18th century to quarantine plague sufferers.

[@CptMoroni35]

Simon, you and the crew should cover Cape Canaveral in Florida.........please!! 🍻

[@Tamburello_1994]

Could have stuck with Tyuratam as that's how referred to back in my SAC days.

[@Christopher-N]

(20:33) 1991-1993: I was totally unaware of these goings-ons at Baikonur, being preoccupied with more local matters (school, and MS-DOS computers). I don't think it was even mentioned in the news.

[@thefamousemickey]

Since you've featured a lot of remote russian locations and austrian royals recently, what about an episode about Franz Joseph Land and it's discovery?

[@MattClare1]

Great video. Surprised the N-1's July 1969 explosion (one of the largest in human history) was not mentioned.

[@pythagorasaurusrex9853]

Two points about this video: 1) A bold but bearded man making ads for shaving tools. 2) Geographics partly turned into Biographics introducing Sergej Korolev. -> LOL! EDIT: Simon, at 14:38, did you say "Soyus rocket"? Actually it was a Wostok rocket!

[@timm6291]

Do a video on Cape Canaveral, Florida

[@mishapurser7542]

Yes! Thank you!

[@willmarsden7657]

Unrelated fun fact: the outskirts of this Cosmodrone was featured as a level in 2010's Call of Duty Black Ops 1.

[@oscarjones3575]

It's always the soviet/communist places that has the most interesting stories!!

[@mikedrones537]

LOL

[@lakesheppard5466]

Yeah communism does make for some great stories from cults to countries want to hear something dangerously messed up? Try communism! (try communism at your own risk, you may experience oppresion, unfair pay, government corruption and possibly death) "Communism, " "Because it is what your nation needs."

[@oscarjones3575]

@@lakesheppard5466 good on paper, but in reality it never works!

[@lakesheppard5466]

@@oscarjones3575 that's true, I dream of a world where communism works, we are all treated fair paid what we're worth and live livable lives, I wished it worked but it doesn't, humans are good at ruining a good thing, especially when you give them power.

[@oscarjones3575]

@@lakesheppard5466 and dream where there's no divison in ANY shape or form.

[@joshualim1339]

Hundreds of years from now, a tiny robotic drone will stumble upon a corpse here, resurrect it from the dead, and say, "Eyes up, Guardian."

[@adrianraicu886]

COVORUL ESTE ABSOLUT SUPERB

[@mikewilliams1782]

Great vid!

[@loughkb]

Excellent writing and presentation. Kept me engaged and interested. And I learned quite a few new things thanks to your research. Also, I'm writing this long after SpaceX successfully delivered astronauts both to and from the I.S.S. I was happy to hear your mention of it pre-event.

[@kilgoretrout6938]

A couple of corrections: While talking about Yuri Gagarin, you mention that he flew on a Soyuz rocket, but the Soyuz didn't fly until 1966; Gagarin flew on a Vostok spacecraft. Also, the picture shown at 18:01 is the failed N1 moon rocket, not the Soyuz

[@DrewberTravels]

0:01 I legit think Simon nearly forgot the name of the razor until he lifted it up.

[@davidtherrien8681]

The tunguska event was a spaceship from glize581 bringing some stuff you ll know in the future Mj12

[@huntyboy100]

Yuri Gagarin's Flight into space was onboard "Vostok" carried by the R7 Rocket. Not the Soyuz , which is a later design

[@davidhughes1284]

My favorite episode yet. Simon is the best narrarator on you tube. Do more videos about the soviet union please.

[@zoehopwood8463]

I freaking love this channel

[@lllPlatinumlll]

"...it seemed too good to be true, and of course it was."

[@greggd3351]

Simon, you have GOT to see that movie, especially in the original Russian. Be sure to check the Vincero watch product placement.

[@Stabacs]

First woman in space was Valentina Tereshkova. Just in case someone wonders, since this video mentions her without saying her name.

[@then9779]

yo yo Simon please send me the link to that fire shirt you have, thanks. I;ve seen it in some of your videos and it's really cool.

[@paulbuckles5353]

Fascinating to know about the place, as it was a mystery in all my youthful years following the US Space Program. I am curious why at 15:58 you present a photo of US Astronaut Ed White with Vice-President Hubert Humphrey?

[@tonicastel2390]

Please do a video about the Vredefort crater.

[@emilrogengellschwaner3555]

Eyes up guardian

[@boiwth5406]

i love this channel.

[@osvaldobravo1772]

3:53 might just be the best thing I've ever heard

[@firefly4f4]

Gagarin wasn't strapped to a Soyuz rocket, it was Vostok, which was the name of both the rocket and spacecraft. Both Vostok and Soyuz are derived from the R7.

[@paulgracey4697]

I have to assume that a complimentary contemporary history of the U.S. space program is in the works. From being a space enthusiast from the late1940s of my childhood to today, I can compare the similar line of government fiats that determined our U.S. search for launch sites, and the similar commonality with our earliest nuclear test locations. Trinity site is not too far from Holloman near Alamogordo NM, and the White Sands Missile Range that was soon out grown like Kaputin Yar. Indeed apparently a V-2 test was set up wrong there once, and the missile ended up in Mexico. Once the V-2 was mated with an American made upper stage, and Wallops Island VA was declared also unsuitable it became necessary to set up shop in the alligator infested swamplands in Florida. Looking forward to your take on this bit of history.

[@danielalfieri4205]

Very interesting, thanks