[chrisacree]

How abandoned is the hangar? There are some other people in the photos, and no matter how isolated the area is, surely the nearest town or two has wandered into the giant complex up the road a few times.

Still, it's amazing that this is the sort of thing people can just potentially wander into. Really makes you want to go explore the world.

[kweks]

Pretty damned abandoned. I've driven through Baikonour.

For background, it's literally a circle of land, 100km in diameter, in the middle of nowhere in Kazakhstan.

There is one road in, and one road out. From this road, the only trace of 'Baikonour' that you see is a small enclave bearing the same name on the side of the road.

We actually drove past it - it's that small. Inside this enclave (and it is - it's got huge concrete walls around it) - are the famous sputnik hotel, and various bits and pieces. But it's first and foremost a small town for people who live and support the program.

There are armed guards at the entrance - who don't let anyone in that's not a local, or doesn't have permission from ROSMOS.

North of this, is the actual launch / test zone. It's desert. From the road, you see nothing.

The advantage of this being: if something blows up, you just try again elsewhere. There are many abandoned launch pads / facilities in this zone.

The actual 'creeping in' - there are no physical fences keeping you out of the zone. If you've bothered to make the effort to get there, getting into the zone and the hangar itself wouldn't be too difficult at all.

And yes - go and explore the world. Kazakhstan is an amazing place. You wanna find desolation, you can find it there.

By the way, if you go through Baikonour, don't stop in the next town. The cops enjoy extorting cash :D

[lsaferite]

So, I just went back and played "Where's Waldo." Either I lost or you are mistaken. the only photos with people in them that I find are the 2 old photos from when the program was still active and the last one with the person who I assume is the photog.