Roscosmos has begun creating an airport complex at the Vostochny Cosmodrome. In December 2020, a complex state contract was signed with the sole provider, Crocus JSC, which has a portfolio of over a dozen successfully completed large-scale projects, including those in the Far East.
The critical importance of an airport complex is the need to use heavy transport aircraft to deliver large-sized components of the new generation crewed transport spacecraft to the cosmodrome, as well as spacecraft for various purposes, rocket and space technology products and test equipment that cannot be delivered by rail or road due to various restrictions (dimensions, transportation conditions, climate, time, vibration-dynamic and economic).
The airport complex will receive and depart all types of passenger, transport and specialized aircraft, as well as ensure search and rescue of crews, normal functioning of the drop zone operation areas involving all aircraft types.
In the future, based on the experience of operating the airfields of the Baikonur Cosmodrome and bearing in mind the possibility of using the Vostochny Cosmodrome for international space programs and projects, it is advisable to consider the issue of giving the cosmodrome airport international status.
The creation of the airport complex at the Vostochny Cosmodrome is one of the main components of starting flight tests from 2023 of a new generation crewed transport spacecraft using a heavy-class space rocket complex with Angara carrier rocket at the Vostochny Cosmodrome.
