| Космическая программа «Энергия» — «Буран» Kosmicheskaya Programma Energia — Buran | |
 The Antonov An-225 Mriya carrying a Buran orbiter in 1989. | |
| Program overview | |
|---|---|
| Country | Soviet Union / Russia |
| Organisation | Roscosmos (1991–1993) |
| Purpose | crewed orbital flight and reentry |
| Status | Cancelled |
| Programme history | |
| Duration | 1971–1993 |
| First flight | OK-GLI Flight 1 (10 November 1985) |
| Last flight | OK-1K1 (15 November 1988) |
| Successes | 1 |
| Failures | 0 |
| Launch site(s) | Baikonur pad 110/37 |
| Vehicle information | |
| Crewed vehicle(s) | Buran-class orbiter |
| Crew capacity | 10 cosmonauts |
| Launch vehicle(s) | Energia |
The Buran programme (Russian: Буран, IPA: [bʊˈran], "Snowstorm", "Blizzard"), also known as the "VKK Space Orbiter programme" (Russian: ВКК «Воздушно-Космический Корабль», lit. 'Air and Space Ship'),[1] was a Soviet and later Russian reusable spacecraft project that began in 1974 at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute in Moscow and was formally suspended in 1993.[2] In addition to being the designation for the whole Soviet/Russian reusable spacecraft project, Buran was also the name given to orbiter 1K, which completed one uncrewed spaceflight in 1988 and was the only Soviet reusable spacecraft to be launched into space. The Buran-class orbiters used the expendable Energia rocket as a launch vehicle.
The Buran programme was started by the Soviet Union as a response to the United States Space Shuttle program[3] and benefited from extensive espionage undertaken by the KGB of the unclassified US Space Shuttle program,[4] resulting in many superficial and functional similarities between American and Soviet Shuttle designs.[5] Although the Buran class was similar in appearance to NASA's Space Shuttle orbiter, and could similarly operate as a re-entry spaceplane, its final internal and functional design was different. For example, the main engines during launch were on the Energia rocket and were not taken into orbit by the spacecraft. Smaller rocket engines on the craft's body provided propulsion in orbit and de-orbital burns, similar to the Space Shuttle's OMS pods. Unlike the Space Shuttle whose first orbital spaceflight was accomplished in April 1981, Buran, whose first and only spaceflight occurred in November 1988, had a capability of flying uncrewed missions, as well as performing fully automated landings. The project was the largest and the most expensive in the history of Soviet space exploration.[2]
- ^ Воздушно-космический Корабль [Air-Space Ship] (PDF) (in Russian). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ a b Harvey, Brian (2007). The Rebirth of the Russian Space Programme: 50 Years After Sputnik, New Frontiers. Springer. p. 8. ISBN 978-0-38-771356-4. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
- ^ Russian shuttle dream dashed by Soviet crash. YouTube.com. Russia Today. 15 November 2007. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2009.
- ^ Windrem, Robert (4 November 1997). "How the Soviets stole a space shuttle". NBC News. Archived from the original on 30 March 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
- ^ Betz, Eric (4 December 2016). "Real-Life Rogue One: How the Soviets Stole NASA's Shuttle Plans". Discover Magazine.