cosmodrome

A cosmodrome is a facility used for launching spacecraft. The term, derived from kosmos (universe) and dromos (course or road), is commonly used to describe major launch sites in Russia and other countries, though in English the broader term spaceport is also used. A cosmodrome encompasses the infrastructure needed to prepare, assemble, and launch rockets, as well as the supporting networks for tracking, telemetry, and mission control.

Typical components include launch pads or towers, vehicle integration or assembly buildings, fueling and ground-support facilities, transfer or transport routes for rockets, a mission control center, and range safety systems. The site may also host meteorological facilities, tracking and communication stations, and security and emergency response installations. Launch complexes are often grouped into clusters to support multiple vehicles or mission profiles. Remote or sparsely populated locations are common to reduce risk to the public and to provide suitable downrange trajectories and restricted air and sea space during launches.

Notable cosmodromes include Baikonur Cosmodrome (Kazakhstan), used for many historic Soviet and Russian space missions; Plesetsk Cosmodrome (Russia) for northern launches; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center (United States) for a wide range of orbital and reuse programs; Vandenberg Space Force Base (United States) for polar or inclined launches; and Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (China). The term emphasizes the ground-based facilities and organizational framework required to carry out spaceflight missions, distinct from the spacecraft themselves.