Why rockets never launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome on October 24
In short: The Baikonur Cosmodrome is the historic site of humanity's first steps into space, but it carries a dark legacy. A deadly 1960 launch pad explosion resulted in a lasting taboo that prevents any rocket launches on October 24, a day remembered as the site's Black Day.
Known as the Nedelin Catastrophe, the 1960 disaster remains one of the most significant tragedies in the history of human space flight. While the site is celebrated for launching Sputnik 1 and Yuri Gagarin, the event resulted in the deaths of nearly 200 people.
The incident occurred at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, located 1,500 kilometres southeast of Moscow in the steppes of Kazakhstan. The scale of the loss has cemented October 24 as an ominous date in the facility's history, leading to a strict tradition of avoiding launches on that day.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Catastrophe - The Biggest Disaster in Human Space Flight History
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