The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), along with Middle Eastern investors and JSC "GK Launch Services", will invest $87 million to modernize the infrastructure at Launch Pad No. 1 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The investment will help upgrade the facilities ahead of future launches of Soyuz-2 rockets, boosting the competitiveness of Russia's space industry. The modernization will attract new customers and support the development of the domestic space sector in Russia.

1. RDIF and Middle Eastern partners invest in upgrading the Baikonur
Cosmodrome
Saint-Petersburg, June 6, 2019 - The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF),
Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, has partnered with investors from the Middle East
and JSC “GK Launch Services” and, with the support of the State Corporation
Roscosmos, announces $87mn of investment in the Baikonur Cosmodrome
infrastructure modernization project.
The agreement was signed today at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum
It supports a project aimed at modernizing the Launch Pad №1 (“LP-1” or so-called
“Gagarin Start”) ahead of its planned future use for launches of “Soyuz-2” vehicles.
Investments by RDIF and its partners will help upgrade the infrastructure of the
world’s largest cosmodrome. This will help increase the competitiveness of the
Russian space industry in the global launch services market and the
commercialization of the best domestic spacetechnology.
Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the RussianDirectInvestment Fund (RDIF), said:
“The modernization of the Baikonur Cosmodrome will provide an important
contribution to the development of the domestic space industry, boosting the number
of launches and attracting new customers. RDIF is able to attract leading Middle
Eastern partners to this modernization project. There is strong interest in this kind of
projects, not only in Russia, but internationally. Such demand is proof that space
exploration provides great potential for new discoveries, whilst also providing
excellent opportunities for new partnerships on Earth.”
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Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) is Russia's sovereign wealth fund
established in 2011 to make equity co-investments, primarily in Russia, alongside
reputable international financial and strategic investors. RDIF acts as a catalyst for
direct investment in the Russian economy. RDIF’s management company is based in
Moscow. Currently, RDIF has experience of the successful joint implementation of
more than 70 projects with foreign partners totaling more than RUB 1.5tn and
covering 95% of the regions of the Russian Federation. RDIF portfolio companies
employ more than 700,000 people and generate revenues which equate to more than

2. 5% of Russia’s GDP. RDIF established joint strategic partnerships with leading
international co-investors from more than 15 countries that total more than $40bn.
Further information can be found at www.rdif.ru
Roscosmos is a state corporation established in August 2015 to carry out a
comprehensive reform in the rocket and space industry of Russia. Roscosmos ensures
the implementation of state policy in space activities and its legal regulation while
also booking orders for the development, production and supply of space hardware
and space infrastructure facilities. It also develops the international cooperation in the
space sphere and sets the stage for the use of the results of space activities for the
socio-economic development of Russia.
JSC “GK Launch Services” is a commercial space-launches operator. The company
was established by the decision of Roscosmos State Corporation and is authorized to
conclude and implement commercial deals for launching spacecraft using Soyuz-2
vehicles from Russian cosmodromes.
For additional information contact:
Arseniy Palagin Maria Shiryaevskaya/ Andrew Leach
Russian Direct Investment Fund Hudson Sandler
Press Secretary Tel: +44 (0) 20 7796 4133
Tel: +7 495 644 34 14, ext. 2395
Mobile: +7 916 110 31 41
E-mail: arseniy.palagin@rdif.ru