The Soviet Union built the first spaceport, Baikonur Cosmodrome, in 1957. In October of that year, Sputnik 1 launched and stayed in orbit for a few months. Since then, about 30 more launch sites were built around the world, and over 1,000 satellites are currently orbiting Earth.
Click through to learn:
- When (and where) humans started building spaceports [interactive map]
- Why Italy and France built spaceports in Africa instead of Europe
- How to choose a site for a spaceport
- Commercial applications of satellites
Exit Strategy 