Diagram of a Energia rocket with Buran shuttle.

The Soviet reusable spacecraft program Buran ("Бура́н" meaning "snowstorm" or "blizzard" in Russian) began in 1976 at TsAGI as a response to the United States Space Shuttle program. Soviet politicians were convinced that the Space Shuttle would be an effective military weapon since the U.S. Department of Defense took part in the project, and could pose a potential threat to the balance of power during the Cold War. The project was the largest and the most expensive in the history of Soviet space exploration. The Buran spacecraft, serial number 11F35 K1, was the only fully completed and operational space shuttle from the Soviet Unions Buran program. ... Illustration of the Buran Shuttle on an Energiya booster rocket Buran_Energia on the launch pad at Baikonur Buran_Energia on the pad Buran on liftoff Buran on touchdown Buran piggybacked on an An-225 carrier The Soviet reusable spacecraft program Buran (Бура́н meaning snowstorm or blizzard... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 247 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (700 × 1700 pixel, file size: 138 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Diagram of Soviet space shuttle in launch configuration File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 247 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (700 × 1700 pixel, file size: 138 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Diagram of Soviet space shuttle in launch configuration File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to... An artists conception of a Soviet Buran space shuttle lifting off atop the Energia booster. ... The Buran spacecraft, serial number 11F35 K1, was the only fully completed and operational space shuttle from the Soviet Unions Buran program. ... CCCP redirects here. ... The Space Shuttle Discovery as seen from the International Space Station. ... A typical view of a winter storm. ... This article is about the winter storm condition. ... TsAGI is a transliteration of the Russian abbreviation for Центра́льный аэрогидродинами́ческий институ́т (ЦАГИ) or Tsentralniy Aerogidrodinamicheskiy Institut, the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute. ... NASAs Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System (STS), is the United States governments current manned launch vehicle. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Space exploration is the physical exploration of outer space, both by human spaceflights and by robotic spacecraft. ...

Buran is somewhat similar to the NASA Space Shuttle, although many features differ. This article is about the American space agency. ... NASAs Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System (STS), is the United States governments current manned launch vehicle. ...

Background

The Soviet reusable space-craft program has its roots in the very beginning of the space age, the late 1950s. The idea of Soviet reusable space flight is very old, though it was neither continuous, nor consistently organized. Before Buran, no project of the program reached production.

The idea saw its first iteration in the Burya high-altitude jet aircraft, which reached the prototype stage. Several test flights are known, before it was cancelled by order of the Central Committee. The Burya had the goal of delivering a nuclear payload, presumably to the United States, and then returning to base. The cancellation was based on a final decision to develop ICBMs. The next iteration of the idea was Zvezda from the early 1960s, which also reached a prototype stage. Decades later, another project with the same name was used as a service module for the International Space Station. After Zvezda, there was a hiatus in reusable projects until Buran. http://www. ... Central Committee most commonly refers to the central executive unit of a communist party, whether ruling or non-ruling. ... http://www. ... A Minuteman III missile soars after a test launch. ... For other uses, see Zvezda. ... “ISS” redirects here. ...

Development

Another view of the Buran on the Antonov An-225.

The development of the Buran began in the early 1970s as a response to the U.S. Space Shuttle program. While the Soviet engineers favoured a smaller, lighter lifting body vehicle, the military leadership pushed for a direct, full scale copy of the double-delta wing Space Shuttle, in an effort to maintain the strategic parity between the superpowers. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 539 pixelsFull resolution (2820 × 1900 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 539 pixelsFull resolution (2820 × 1900 pixel, file size: 2. ... The An-225 Mriya (Ukrainian: , NATO reporting name: Cossack) is a strategic airlift transport aircraft which was built by Antonov, and is the worlds largest flying airplane ever built by the most commonly accepted measure [1], maximum gross takeoff weight. ... NASAs Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System (STS), is the United States governments current manned launch vehicle. ... Engineering is the application of scientific and technical knowledge to solve human problems. ... The lifting body is an aircraft configuration where the body itself produces lift. ... The delta-wing is a wing planform in the form of a triangle. ... A concept of balance of power between the superpowers. ...

NPO Molniya conducted all development under the lead of Gleb Lozino-Lozinskiy. For other uses, see Molniya. ... Gleb Evgeniyevich Lozino-Lozinskiy (Russian: , December 25, 1909 - November 28, 2001) - was a Russian engineer, General Director and General Designer of the JSC NPO Molniya, lead developer of the Russian Shuttle Buran programme, Doctor of Science, Hero of Socialist Labour, laureate of Lenin Prize (1962) and State Prizes (1950, 1952). ...

The construction of the shuttles began in 1980, and by 1984 the first full-scale Buran was rolled out. The first suborbital test flight of a scale-model (BOR-5) took place as early as July 1983. As the project progressed, five additional scale-model flights were performed. A test vehicle was constructed with four jet engines mounted at the rear; this vehicle is usually referred to as OK-GLI, or as the "Buran aerodynamic analogue". The jets were used to take off from a normal landing strip, and once it reached a designated point, the engines were cut and OK-GLI glided back to land. This provided invaluable information about the handling characteristics of the Buran design, and significantly differed from the carrier plane/air drop method used by the USA and the Enterprise test craft. Enterprise, on the other hand, was intended to be reused as an operational spacecraft and could not be modified with jet engines and the plumbing for them. Twenty-four test flights of OK-GLI were performed after which the shuttle was "worn out". A sub-orbital spaceflight (or sub-orbital flight) is a spaceflight that does not involve putting a vehicle into orbit. ... The BOR-5 flight vehicle was used to test the main aerodynamic characteristics, thermal and acoustic loads and stability for the Shuttle Buran program. ... The OK-GLI (Buran Analog BST-02) was a test vehicle (Buran aerodynamic analogue) in the Shuttle Buran program. ... The Space Shuttle Enterprise (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-101) was the first Space Shuttle built for NASA. It was constructed without engines or a functional heat shield, and was therefore not capable of space operations; its purpose was to perform test flights in the atmosphere. ...

First flight

Further information: Shuttle Buran#First flight

The first and only orbital launch of the (unmanned) shuttle Buran 1.01 was at 3:00 UTC on 15 November 1988. It was lifted into orbit by the specially designed Energia booster rocket. The life support system was not installed and no software was installed on the CRT displays.^[1] The shuttle orbited the Earth twice in 206 minutes of flight. On its return, it performed an automated landing on the shuttle runway at Baikonur Cosmodrome.^[2] The Shuttle Buran, serial number 11F35 K1, was the only space shuttle to come out of the Shuttle Buran program that was completed. ... The Shuttle Buran, serial number 11F35 K1, was the only space shuttle to come out of the Shuttle Buran program that was completed. ... “UTC” redirects here. ... is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... An artists conception of a Soviet Buran space shuttle lifting off atop the Energia booster. ... Cathode ray tube employing electromagnetic focus and deflection Cutaway rendering of a color CRT: 1. ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ... Map showing the location of Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan The Baikonur Cosmodrome (Kazakh: Байқоңыр ғарыш айлағы, Bayqoñır ğarış aylağı; Russian: Космодром Байконур, Kosmodrom Baykonur), also called Tyuratam, is the worlds oldest and largest operational space launch facility. ...

Planned flights

The planned flights for the shuttles in 1989, before the downsizing of the project and eventual cancellation, were:^[3]

• 1991 - Shuttle Ptichka unmanned first flight, duration 1-2 days.
• 1992 - Shuttle Ptichka unmanned second flight, duration 7-8 days. Orbital manoeuvers and space station approach test.
• 1993 - Shuttle Buran unmanned second flight, duration 15-20 days.
• 1994 - Shuttle 2.01 first manned space test flight, duration of 24 hours. Craft equipped with life-support system and with two ejection seats. Crew would consist of only two cosmonauts with Igor Volk as commander, and Aleksandr Ivanchenko as flight engineer.
• Second manned space test flight, crew would consist of only two cosmonauts.
• Third manned space test flight, crew would consist of only two cosmonauts.
• Fourth manned space test flight, crew would consist of only two cosmonauts.

The planned unmanned second flight of the Ptichka was changed in 1991 to the following: Ptichka (Птичка meaning little bird in Russian) is an informal nickname for the space shuttle orbiters that were created by the Soviet Union; the name is also often used to refer to the second of the five Soviet space shuttles, a shuttle which was not given an official name. ... Ptichka (Птичка meaning little bird in Russian) is an informal nickname for the space shuttle orbiters that were created by the Soviet Union; the name is also often used to refer to the second of the five Soviet space shuttles, a shuttle which was not given an official name. ... The Shuttle Buran, serial number 11F35 K1, was the only space shuttle to come out of the Shuttle Buran program that was completed. ... 2. ... Igor Volk, born April 12, 1937 in Gotwald, Kharkov Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, was a USSR cosmonaut. ...

• December 1991 - Shuttle 1.02 - informally "Ptichka" unmanned second flight, with a duration of 7-8 days. Orbital manoeuvers and space station approach test:
  • automatic docking with Mir's Kristall module
  • crew transfer from Mir to the shuttle, with testing of some of its systems in the course of twenty-four hours, including the remote manipulator
  • undocking and autonomous flight in orbit
  • docking of the manned Soyuz-TM 101 with the shuttle
  • crew transfer from the Soyuz to the shuttle and on board work in the course of twenty-four hours
  • automatic undocking and landing

Ptichka (Птичка meaning little bird in Russian) is an informal nickname for the space shuttle orbiters that were created by the Soviet Union; the name is also often used to refer to the second of the five Soviet space shuttles, a shuttle which was not given an official name. ... Mir (Russian: ; lit. ... The Kristall (Russian: ; lit. ... Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft approaching International Space Station Soyuz 19 spacecraft as seen from Apollo CM Soyuz spacecraft of the Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) Early 7K-OK Soyuz at National Space Centre, Leicester, England Soyuz (Союз, union) is a series of spacecraft designed by Sergey Korolev for the Soviet Union...

Cancellation

Atmospheric Buran testbed, MACS, Zhukovski, 1999.

After the first flight, the project was suspended due to lack of funds and the political situation in the Soviet Union. The two subsequent orbiters, which were due in 1990 (informally Ptichka, meaning "little bird") and 1992 (Shuttle 2.01) were never completed. The project was officially terminated on June 30, 1993 by President Boris Yeltsin. At the time of its cancellation, 20 billion (2*10¹⁰) roubles had been spent on the Buran program.^[4] Image File history File links Buran. ... Image File history File links Buran. ... Ptichka (Птичка meaning little bird in Russian) is an informal nickname for the space shuttle orbiters that were created by the Soviet Union; the name is also often used to refer to the second of the five Soviet space shuttles, a shuttle which was not given an official name. ... 2. ... is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... “Yeltsin” redirects here. ...

The program was designed to boost national pride, carry out research, and meet technological objectives similar to those of the U.S. shuttle program, including resupply of the Mir space station, which was launched in 1986 and remained in service until 2001. When Mir was finally visited by a space shuttle, the visitor was a U.S. shuttle, not Buran. Mir (Russian: ; lit. ...

The Buran SO, a docking module that was to be used for rendezvous with the Mir space station, was refitted for use with the U.S. Space Shuttles during the Shuttle-Mir missions. ^[5] The Shuttle-Mir program was a collaborative space program involving Russia and the United States. ...

Current status

As well as the five "production" Burans, there were eight test vehicles. These were used for static testing or atmospheric trials, and some were merely mock-ups for testing of electrical fittings, crew procedures, etc.

The Shuttle Buran, serial number 11F35 K1, was the only space shuttle to come out of the Shuttle Buran program that was completed. ... Main Agency of Missiles and Artillery of the Ministry of Defense of the Soviet Union (Главное ракетно-артиллерийское управление МО РФ, ГРАУ) is a department of Soviet/Russian Ministry of Defense which is subordinated to the Chief of Armament and Munition of the Armed Forces, vice-minister of defense (начальник вооружения ВС РФ - заместитель Министра обороны РФ). In particular, the GRAU is responsible for assignment... Image File history File links Buran102. ... Ptichka (Птичка meaning little bird in Russian) is an informal nickname for the space shuttle orbiters that were created by the Soviet Union; the name is also often used to refer to the second of the five Soviet space shuttles, a shuttle which was not given an official name. ... Map showing the location of Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan The Baikonur Cosmodrome (Kazakh: Байқоңыр ғарыш айлағы, Bayqoñır ÄŸarış aylağı; Russian: Космодром Байконур, Kosmodrom Baykonur), also called Tyuratam, is the worlds oldest and largest operational space launch facility. ... Image File history File links Shuttle_2. ... 2. ... Sinsheim is a town in southwestern Germany, in the state Baden-Württemberg in the district Rhein-Neckar between Heidelberg and Heilbronn. ... Image File history File links Shuttle2. ... 2. ... 2. ... Image File history File links OK-ML-1. ... Image File history File links Ok-ks. ... S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energiya (Russian: ), also known as RKK Energiya, is a Russian manufacturer of spacecraft and space station components. ... Korolev (in Russian, Королёв), is an industrial city near to Moscow, well-known as the cradle of space exploration. ... Image File history File links Ok-ml-2. ... The OK-GLI (Buran Analog BST-02) was a test vehicle (Buran aerodynamic analogue) in the Shuttle Buran program. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3072 × 2304 pixel, file size: 874 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Central Park of Culture and Rest is an amusement park in Moscow, Russia, named after Maxim Gorky. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1024x768, 131 KB) Summary BOR-4S at MACS in Zhukovski, 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-105 Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... BOR-4S at MACS in Zhukovski, 2005 The BOR-4 flight vehicle is a scaled (1:2) copy of the Spiral spaceplane. ... Spiral 50 / 50. ... The BOR-5 flight vehicle was used to test the main aerodynamic characteristics, thermal and acoustic loads and stability for the Shuttle Buran program. ...

Future possibilities

The 2003 grounding of the U.S. Space Shuttles caused many to wonder whether the Russian Energia launcher or Buran shuttle could be brought back into service. By then, however, all of the equipment for both (including the vehicles themselves) had fallen into disrepair or been repurposed after falling into disuse with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurred on February 1, 2003, when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas during re-entry into the Earths atmosphere, shortly before concluding its 28th mission, STS-107. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition, 1981 (NASA). ... An artists conception of a Soviet Buran space shuttle lifting off atop the Energia booster. ...

Technical data

Atmospheric Buran testbed, MACS, Zhukovski, 1999.

Mass breakdown Image File history File links Buran. ... Image File history File links Buran. ...

• Mass of Total Structure / Landing Systems: 42,000 kg
• Mass of Functional Systems and Propulsion: 33,000 kg
• SSME 14,200
• Maximum Payload: 30,000 kg
• Maximum liftoff weight: 105,000 kg

Dimensions

• Length: 36.37 m
• Wingspan: 23.92 m
• Height on Gear: 16.35 m
• Payload bay length: 18.55 m
• Payload bay diameter: 4.65 m
• Wing glove sweep: 78 degrees
• Wing sweep: 45 degrees

Propulsion

• Total orbital maneuvering engine thrust: 17,600 kgf
• Orbital Maneuvering Engine Specific Impuse: 362 sec
• Total Maneuvering Impulse: 5 kgf-sec
• Total Reaction Control System Thrust: 14,866 kgf
• Average RCS Specific Impulse: 275-295 sec
• Normal Maximum Propellant Load: 14,500 kg

Similarities to NASA Space Shuttle

Because Buran's debut followed that of Space Shuttle Columbia's, and because there were striking visual similarities between the two shuttle systems—a state of affairs which recalled the similarity between the Tupolev Tu-144 and Concorde supersonic airliners—many speculated that Cold War espionage played a role in the development of the Soviet shuttle. Despite remarkable external similarities, many key differences existed, which suggests that, had espionage been a factor in Buran's development, it would likely have been in the form of external photography or early airframe designs. Space Shuttle Columbia (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-102) was the first spaceworthy space shuttle in NASAs orbital fleet. ... The Tupolev Tu-144 (NATO reporting name: Charger) was the first supersonic transport aircraft (SST), constructed under the direction of the Soviet Tupolev design bureau headed by Alexei Tupolev (1925–2001). ... For other uses, see Concorde (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Spy and Secret agent redirect here. ...

Key differences from the NASA Space Shuttle

• Buran was not an integral part of the system, but rather a payload for the Energia launcher. Other payloads than Buran, with mass as high as 80 metric tons, could be lifted to space by Energia, as was the case on its first launch. A similar proposal, the shuttle-C concept, was envisaged to complement the space shuttle but never moved beyond experimental mock-up stage.
• Energia was designed from the start to be configured for a variety of uses, rather than just a shuttle launcher. The heaviest configuration (never built) would have been able to launch 200 tons into orbit.
• Energia was also capable of delivering a payload to the moon. However, this configuration was never tested.
• As Buran was designed to be capable of both manned and robotic flight, it had automated landing capability; the manned version was never operational. The Space Shuttle was later retrofitted with an automated landing capability; the equipment to make this possible was first flown on STS-121, but is intended only as a contingency, and has never been used on any flight.
• The orbiter had no main rocket engines, freeing space and weight for additional payload; the largest cylindrical structure is the Energia carrier-rocket, not just a fuel tank.
• The boosters used liquid propellant (kerosene/oxygen).
• The Energia carrier, including the main engines, was designed to be reusable but funding cuts meant that a reusable version of Energia was never completed. The U.S. Space Shuttle has reusable main engines in the orbiter and reusable Solid Rocket Boosters but requires a new External Tank for each flight, as the tank is not recovered and is allowed to burn up in the atmosphere.
• Buran could lift 30 metric tons into orbit in its standard configuration, compared to the early Space Shuttle Orbiters's 25 metric tons (later Orbiters were physically several tonnes lighter and could carry a correspondingly heavier payload).
• The high lift-to-drag ratio of Buran is 6.5 against 5.5 for the Space Shuttle.
• Buran was designed to return 20 metric tons of payload from orbit, as against 15 metric tons for the Space Shuttle orbiter.
• The thermal protection tiles on the Buran and U.S. Space Shuttles are laid out differently. Soviet engineers believed their design to be thermodynamically superior. Buran's TPS does not have the grey Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) panels or nosecap of the STS, damage to the former being the primary cause of the destruction of the Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003.
• Buran's equivalent of the shuttle's Orbital Maneuvering System used safer propellants with lower toxicity (GOX/Kerosene), and gave higher performance (a specific impulse of 362 seconds).
• Buran was designed to be moved to the launch pad horizontally on special train tracks, and then erected at the launch site. This enabled a much faster rollout than the US Space Shuttle, which is moved vertically, and as such must be moved very slowly.
• The Energia rocket was not covered in foam, the shedding of which led to the destruction of Columbia. In addition, the booster rockets were not constructed in segments vulnerable to leakage through O-rings, which caused the destruction of Challenger. However, the liquid fuel for the booster rockets (see above) would have made them less easy to prepare - and hold ready - for flight than solid rocket fuel in the shuttle boosters and in addition represented a potential explosive hazard on the ground. Comparison should be drawn with the problems encountered with Soviet era liquid fuelled ICBMs (e.g., SS-18s vs. Minuteman solid rocket fuelled ICBMs of the same era in the USA) which could only remain fuelled for a short period due to the toxicity/corrosive effects of the fuels themselves.

An artists conception of a Soviet Buran space shuttle lifting off atop the Energia booster. ... A tonne (also called metric ton) is a non-SI unit of mass, accepted for use with SI, defined as: 1 tonne = 103 kg (= 106 g). ... Human spaceflight is space exploration with a human crew, and possibly passengers (in contrast to unmanned space missions, which are remotely-controlled or robotic space probes). ... An artists interpretation of the MESSENGER spacecraft at Mercury A robotic spacecraft is a spacecraft with no humans on board, that is usually under telerobotic control. ... Automation (ancient Greek: = self dictated) or Industrial Automation is the use of computers to control industrial machinery and processes, replacing human operators. ... MyTravel Airways Airbus A320 landing Landing is the last part of a flight, where a flying animal or aircraft returns to the ground. ... This article is becoming very long. ... A remote camera captures a close-up view of a Space Shuttle Main Engine during a test firing at the John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Mississippi Spacecraft propulsion is used to change the velocity of spacecraft and artificial satellites, or in short, to provide delta-v. ... In military aircraft or space exploration, the payload is the carrying capacity of an aircraft or space ship, including as cargo, munitions, scientific instruments or experiments, or external fuel, although internal fuel is usually not included. ... For other uses, see Tank (disambiguation). ... A booster in space-related applications is usually a solid rocket booster: a solid fuel rocket of which two or more are attached to the main rocket to provide the main thrust in the initial phase of the rockets flight. ... For other uses, see Liquid (disambiguation). ... A propellant is a material that is used to move an object by applying a motive force. ... Kerosene or kerosine, also called paraffin oil or paraffin in British usage (not to be confused with the waxy solid also called paraffin wax or just paraffin) is a flammable hydrocarbon liquid. ... General Name, symbol, number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series nonmetals, chalcogens Group, period, block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless (gas) very pale blue (liquid) Standard atomic weight 15. ... An orbiter is a spacecraft that orbits a planet or moon without landing on it in order to study the objects surface from a safe distance. ... In aerodynamics, the lift-to-drag ratio, or L/D ratio (ell-over-dee, as opposed to ell-dee), is the amount of lift generated by a wing, compared to the drag it creates by moving through the air. ... Mock-up of a space shuttle leading edge, showing brittle failure of RCC due to foam impact reproducing the conditions of Columbias final launch. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurred on February 1, 2003, when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas during re-entry into the Earths atmosphere, shortly before concluding its 28th mission, STS-107. ... Space Shuttle Columbia (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-102) was the first spaceworthy space shuttle in NASAs orbital fleet. ... An OMS pod detached from a Shuttle for maintenance. ... Specific impulse (usually abbreviated Isp) is a way to describe the efficiency of rocket and jet engines. ... Space Shuttle Challenger (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-099) was NASAs second Space Shuttle orbiter to be put into service, Columbia being the first. ...

See also

Russian space

• Energia - The booster rocket, the second part of the "Buran-Energia" space system.
• Antonov An-225 - The world's largest aircraft (by MTOW), built to carry the Buran
• Mir space station
• Baikonur Cosmodrome

Space An artists conception of a Soviet Buran space shuttle lifting off atop the Energia booster. ... The An-225 Mriya (Ukrainian: , NATO reporting name: Cossack) is a strategic airlift transport aircraft which was built by Antonov, and is the worlds largest flying airplane ever built by the most commonly accepted measure [1], maximum gross takeoff weight. ... In aviation, the Maximum Take-Off Weight (or MTOW) is the maximum weight with which an aircraft is allowed to try to achieve flight. ... This article is about Mir, the Soviet space station. ... Map showing the location of Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan The Baikonur Cosmodrome (Kazakh: Байқоңыр ғарыш айлағы, Bayqoñır ğarış aylağı; Russian: Космодром Байконур, Kosmodrom Baykonur), also called Tyuratam, is the worlds oldest and largest operational space launch facility. ...

• Space Shuttle program
• Manned space missions
• Unmanned space missions
• Space exploration

NASAs Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System (STS), is the United States governments current manned launch vehicle. ... Human spaceflight is space exploration with a human crew, and possibly passengers (in contrast to unmanned space missions, which are remotely-controlled or robotic space probes). ... Unmanned space missions are those using remote-controlled spacecraft. ... Space exploration is the physical exploration of outer space, both by human spaceflights and by robotic spacecraft. ...

References

is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 227th day of the year (228th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 217th day of the year (218th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 217th day of the year (218th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Buran entry at Encyclopedia Astronautica
• Official website by the NPO "Molniya", makers of the Buran
  • Unfinished Buran 2.01 interior photo gallery
• Detailled site on the Buran space shuttle
• Energia - all about the HLLV. Includes information about the Buran.
• Russian Aviation page
• Buran The Russian Shuttle - Gizmohighway Technology Guide
• German aviation museum acquires Buran test article for display (in German)
• Buran's first flight, lift-off video
• Aerospaceweb.org: Soviet Buran Space Shuttle
• Satellite view of Gorky Park, with OK-TVA clearly visible
• Satellite view of OK-GLI in Bahrain
• Buran Family overview
• RussianSpaceWeb.com
• Russian Space Agency - Buran
• Buran, The First Russian Shuttle at English Russia (photos, movie)
• The Soviet VKK (Vosdushno Kosmicheskiy Korabl) Space Shuttle Program