BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan - On April 11, 1961, in a small wooden hut in Baikonur cosmodrome, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin spent the last night before his historical space mission.

"I'm leaving tomorrow, and I don't even believe it myself," he wrote that night.

Half a century has passed since then. On the eve of the 50th anniversary of Gagarin's space flight, posters of the world's first space traveler are seen everywhere in Baikonur, reminding people that this is the place where mankind's dream of space flight became true.

Located in the desert steppe of Kazakhstan, Baikonur cosmodrome is the world's first and largest operational space launch facility.

Built originally by the Soviet Union in 1955 for missile testing, the cosmodrome was gradually turned into an operation base for its ambitious space program. Currently, it is being leased by the Kazakh government to Russia untill 2050, and managed jointly by the Russian Federal Space Agency and the Russian Space Forces.

As a busy space port that launched numerous commercial, military and scientific missions annually, Baikonur has witnessed the lift-off of many spaceships into space since Gagarin.

"We have been brought up in the time when Yuri Gagarin went into space and all the boys of Russia dreamed about it," said Pavel Vinogradov, a former Russian cosmonaut who is now working as a deputy head of the flight test center in Baikonur.

Vinogradov's dream came true, and his picture now decorates the wall in a Baikonur space center. However, nothing comes by easily in Baikonur.

"The most difficult thing is waiting and in a constant state of readiness. The preparation for the flight lasts for 10 to 12 years. First it is general space training, then group working. This process requires very good health, even better than that of sportsmen. Then, the crew have to pass over 250 exams," he said.

So, when the time for the lift-off came, Vinogradov said his feelings were actually muted due to entire focusing on mission objectives.

But the game is absolutely worth the candle.

"Nothing can compare with the chance to see the Earth from the outer space," said the 58-year-old cosmonaut who has flown into space twice and conducted six spacewalks.

For Alexander Kozlovtsev, chief spacecraft engineer, the life and work in Baikonur are a bit more down-to-earth.

He controls the assembling of the manned Soyuz TMA-21 "Gagarin" spaceship, which has been sent to the International Space Station on April 5 to mark the 50th anniversary of Gagarin launch.

"Every launch for us is thrilling, because it is very spectacular and because the people's life is in our hands," Kozlovtsev said.

"We never have a single accident with them. The level of the spaceships reliability is nearly 100 percent," he said.

The engineer has devoted almost all his life here in Baikonur. He recalled that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the quality of life in Baikonur was very poor for some five years.

"There was neither water nor electricity. In my apartment it was so cold that water turned into ice. Nobody understood what would follow, and nobody knew what to do," he said.

Fortunately, now the city is back to life. It's green and clean, with stable water, gas and power supply.

"Now we have no problems. We prepare everything according to the schedule ... We are not going to leave Baikonur," he said.

Xinhua