Prior to conducting an orbital space flight the Buran program included launching BOR-4 unpiloted rocket planes to test heat shields and carbon components that would be used on Buran shuttles (7 were produced and 4 confirmed orbital flights were conducted between 19, they would re-enter the atmosphere and be recovered at sea – a 1:2 scale spacecraft developed from the earlier and abandoned Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-105 “Spiral” spaceplane project started in 1965 and canceled in 1978, after 8 test flights, in favour of Buran), sending BOR-5 test vehicles on multiple sub-orbital test flights – they were basically miniature dummy shuttles to test aerodynamics (5 launches) and atmospheric flights of the OK-GLI aerodynamic prototype (more information below) to help develop the program to achieve space flight. NASA Space Shuttle missions typically had a crew of 4 to 8, Buran could have a crew of 2 to 4 and carry up to 6 additional passengers in the crew compartment if required. The main launch rockets for Buran were on the heavy lift expendable Energia launch system (Energia or “Энергия” in Russian means “ Energy“) rather than primarily on the shuttle itself (the Energia launcher had four liquid-propellant rockets on the first stage, whereas the Space Shuttle had two solid-rocket boosters on the launcher as well as three main launch engines on the shuttle itself). Firstly the avionics and flight systems of Buran were all of Soviet design and Buran had an auto-pilot system that enabled it to conduct unmanned missions if required (unique for a reusable spacecraft), a higher payload capacity (Buran 30 tonnes, NASA Space Shuttle approximately 25 tonnes), stronger heat shielding and unlike the Space Shuttle which glided back to Earth, Buran’s two rear engines enabled it to fly during re-entry into the atmosphere (all benefits of years of watching Space Shuttle operations no doubt). Space Shuttle Columbia completed the first orbital test flight on April 12th, 1981 and the first operational flight with a crew of 4 on November 11th, 1982.ĭespite the physical similarities there are significant differences between the Soviet and NASA shuttles. Space Shuttle Enterprise, the first orbiter was built in 1976 but was used for approach and landing tests and did not go into orbit. There is no real surprise that the Buran shuttle has a striking physical resemblance to the NASA Space Shuttle as it was developed after the NASA program had commenced and the basic Space Shuttle design was one of sound aerodynamics. Later it could be launched to conduct maintenance and repairs on the payloads deployed into space and even return them to Earth (it could deploy a payload of 30 tonnes and return with 20 tonnes). Like the NASA Space Shuttle, the Buran shuttle was intended to be able to deploy payloads into space such as a satellite, space station components etc.
In coordination with the reusable space vehicle, NPO Energia with chief architect Valentin Glushko worked on the development of the expendable Energia rocket system. NPO Molniya Research and Industrial Corporation was formed in 1976 to develop the Buran shuttle under the lead of Gleb Lozino-Lozinskiy, General Director of NPO Molniya.
Buran OK-1K1 and Energia rocket launcher assembly in the early 1980’s at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan (Buran-Energia photos) Space Shuttle vs Buran comparison According to, the most significant Soviet scientific and industrial centres took part in the program, involving more than 1 million people from 1,286 companies and 86 ministries and departments who worked directly on Buran over an 18 year period. The program began in 1974 in response to the NASA Space Shuttle program (apparently initially due to the suspicion it could be put to military use by the United States) but did not truly come into space operation until 1988 and was formally suspended in 1993 due to rising costs that could not be sustained following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 (a programme cost of 16.4 billion rubles by 1992). The Buran shuttle program (also known as the VKK Space Orbiter program – Buran or “Буран” in Russian means “ Snowstorm“) was the biggest and most expensive undertaking ever in Soviet space exploration.
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