I wonder what is the opinion of Russian engineers about space shuttles?

[Pawelk198604]

Anyone who is interested in astronautics knows that the Soviet Union also worked on its own space shuttle, known as Buran. I read somewhere that Russian engineers did not want to work on this project that Brezhnev reportedly told that since Reagan has it that he also wants :-)

Apparently engineers from Russia were astonished that their American colleagues have invented something as bizarre as the Space Shuttle :-)

But since the Party ordered them to do, they want their shuttle must be Better than imperialist one

[Shpaget]

The best thing about Buran program is An-225.

[Pawelk198604]

The best thing about Buran program is An-225.

An-225 Mrija greatest transport plane ever flew

[xenomorph555]

The general opinion of Soviet engineers was that a small space plane (spiral, LKS) would be much better and that the American shuttle was flawed. But what party wants party gets...

[Iskierka]

The Buran was actually fully developed almost by accident. The USSR had a number of projects on the go that could be called an infinite-development-cycle project - these were never intended to fly, but tests and models would be made to get effectively the same aerospace knowledge from their development, without going full-budget. These included vehicles like the Spiral and LKS, but also the Buran - Russia wanted to keep up with US knowledge, but hadn't intended to actually build the shuttle. However, a few key engineers in the project were rather smart about vehicle design and procuring supplies, and weren't entirely aware (or elected to ignore) that the Buran wasn't to be completed, and so the vehicle was fully constructed and tested, and worked very well.

I think the Russians do think a shuttle potentially has its uses - evidenced by the fact that a near-complete Buran, Ptichka, is still in storage at the Baikonur cosmodrome. However, they seemed to be more interested in other uses of similar technology, such as the Energiya II / Buran-T reusable heavy launch vehicle, or Baikal reusable booster for Angara, which is currently in-development. Likely they appreciate its capability, but are rather confused at features like the unnecessary built-in cockpit, so are glad of the technology but moving it on to better things that lack a number of the strange design requirements the shuttle was driven by.

[Heimdall5008]

evidenced by the fact that a near-complete Buran, Ptichka, is still in storage at the Baikonur cosmodrome.

Interesting. I did not know that there were three Buran. I thought there were only two: the one destroyed in the hangar collapse and the atmospheric version that is on display in Speyer, Germany.

But I don't think that the Russians plan to use it anymore. The shuttle is not finished and it's technology 30 years outdated. They will have big problems to find somebody who still remembers which systems are not ready yet and how to complete them

Probally they just don't want to spend the scrap costs.

[Kryten]

Interesting. I did not know that there were three Buran. I thought there were only two: the one destroyed in the hangar collapse and the atmospheric version that is on display in Speyer, Germany.

There's another unfinished one (2.01 Baikal) on display on display at Ramonskoye airport, and 2.02 is sat somewhere in the factory in a partially dismantled state.

[xenomorph555]

Interesting. I did not know that there were three Buran. I thought there were only two: the one destroyed in the hangar collapse and the atmospheric version that is on display in Speyer, Germany.

But I don't think that the Russians plan to use it anymore. The shuttle is not finished and it's technology 30 years outdated. They will have big problems to find somebody who still remembers which systems are not ready yet and how to complete them

Probally they just don't want to spend the scrap costs.

They were planning to build a fleet of 12 Burans and had something like 5 in construction at the time of the fall.

[DECQ]

Buran was an adequate response to the Reagan military project "Star Wars." Do not forget that the American and Russian space shuttle (the second has to do with the shuttle's just kind of) military vehicles, one of the first Space Shuttle made a "dive" over Moscow, and in fact on board could have an atomic bomb, Buran was a sedative, and that's the whole story...

P.S. Buran steeper.

[J.Random]

I wonder what is the opinion of Russian engineers about space shuttles?

Anyone who is interested in astronautics knows that the Soviet Union also worked on its own space shuttle, known as Buran. I read somewhere that Russian engineers did not want to work on this project that Brezhnev reportedly told that since Reagan has it that he also wants :-)

Apparently engineers from Russia were astonished that their American colleagues have invented something as bizarre as the Space Shuttle :-)

But since the Party ordered them to do, they want their shuttle must be Better than imperialist one

The answer would probably depend on where the respondent worked at the moment. Imagine if you worked in MiG design bureau on something as elegant as MiG-105 (Spiral) and then were suddenly told to go work on Buran behemoth, you'd probably be sad.

But military loved Buran. I've read in memoirs that every high-ranking idiot coming with some sort of inspection tried to touch the black insulation/ablation cover of the Buran itself, even when there was an identical plate just lying nearby for this very purpose. In the end, security officers decided to tell them something in line with "Of course, comrade general, you may touch it, but it's new compound, we didn't test if it can contaminate skin, so we may have to cut off your hand in a week or two if you become poisoned".

Edited June 1, 2015 by J.Random

[Kryten]

Recent pictures of 1.02 'Ptichka' and one of the test articles have been released. They're... not in great condition. It looks they haven't been touched since being moved from the MIK in about 2002.

[smjjames]

Didn't one of the buran shuttles get turned into a restaurant or cafe or something? Or maybe it was a mockup and not an actual buran, not sure.

[Mazon Del]

I have to admit to being quite curious how much Russia would charge if you wanted to buy one.

Hah! Now I'm imagining trying to con North Korea into buying one to try and jump start a manned space program.

[Heimdall5008]

Didn't one of the buran shuttles get turned into a restaurant or cafe or something? Or maybe it was a mockup and not an actual buran, not sure.

The atmospheric test model is on display in a museum in Germany. Maybe you mean this?

Alternatively a MIR mock up (former training module from ESA) is part of a theme part ride also in Germany