View source for Buran (spacecraft)

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{{Hatnote|This article is about the orbiter launched in 1988. For the Soviet/Russian reusable space program, see [[Buran programme]].}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}}
{{Infobox Space Shuttle
| name         = Buran<br />{{lang|ru|''Буран''}}
| image        = Buran on An-225 (Le Bourget 1989) (cropped).JPEG
| image_size   = 275px
| caption      = Orbiter 1K1 at an airshow at [[Le Bourget]] in 1989
| country      = Soviet Union
| contract     = 
| named_after  = "Snowstorm"<ref name= "nasa">{{cite web |url=http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/rsa/buran.html |title=Buran |publisher=NASA |date=12 November 1997 |accessdate=15 August 2006 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060804153528/http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/rsa/buran.html |archivedate=4 August 2006}}</ref>
| first_flight = 15 November 1988<ref name="nasa" />
| first_date   = 
| last_flight  = 15 November 1988<ref name="nasa" />
| last_date    = 
| missions     = 1<ref name="nasa" />
| crews        = 0<ref name="nasa" />
| time         = {{time interval|15 November 1988 03:00:02|15 November 1988 06:25:24|show=dhms|sep=,}}
| orbits       = 2<ref name="nasa" />
| distance     = 
| deployed     = 
| dockings_mir = 
| dockings_iss = 
| status       = Destroyed in a 2002 hangar collapse<ref>{{cite news |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0205/13baikonur/ |title=Eight feared dead in Baikonur hangar collapse |work=Spaceflight Now |date=16 May 2002}}</ref>
}}

'''''Buran''''' ({{lang-ru|Бура́н}}, {{IPA-ru|bʊˈran|IPA}}, ''Snowstorm'' or ''Blizzard'') was the first [[spaceplane]] to be produced as part of the Soviet/Russian [[Buran programme|''Buran'' programme]]. It carried the [[GRAU]] index [[serial number]] ''11F35 K1'' and is – depending on the source – also known as '''OK-1K1''', '''Orbiter K1''', '''OK 1.01''' or '''Shuttle 1.01'''. Besides describing the first operational Soviet/Russian shuttle orbiter, "Buran" was also the designation for the whole Soviet/Russian space shuttle project.

OK-1K1 completed one unmanned spaceflight in 1988, and was destroyed in 2002 when the hangar it was stored in collapsed.<ref name="spw20121015">{{cite web |url=http://www.russianspaceweb.com/buran.html |title=Buran |publisher=Russian Space Web |date=15 October 2012 |accessdate=28 September 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150215094534/http://www.russianspaceweb.com:80/buran.html |archivedate=15 February 2015 |df=dmy}}</ref> It remains the only Soviet reusable [[spacecraft]] to be launched into space. The ''Buran''-class orbiters used the expendable [[Energia]] rocket, a class of [[super heavy-lift launch vehicle]].

== Construction ==
{{Main|Buran programme}}
{{norefs|section|date = November 2016}}
The construction of the ''Buran''-class space shuttle orbiters began in 1980, and by 1984 the first full-scale orbiter was rolled out. Construction of a second orbiter ([[Ptichka|OK-1K2]], informally known as ''Ptichka'') started in 1988. The ''Buran'' programme was officially cancelled in 1993.

== Operational history ==
[[File:Buran.jpg|thumb|upright|Orbiter OK-1K1 ''Buran'' during launch on 15 November 1988]]

=== Orbital flight ===
The only orbital launch of a ''Buran''-class orbiter occurred at 03:00:02&nbsp;[[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] on 15 November 1988 from [[Baikonur Cosmodrome]] launch [[Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 110|pad 110/37]].<ref name="spw20121015" /><ref name="energia20081114">{{cite web |url=http://www.energia.ru/eng/news/news-2008/photo_11-14.html |title=S.P.Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia held a ceremony... |work=Energia.ru |date=14 November 2008 |accessdate=3 September 2016}}</ref> ''Buran'' was lifted into space, on an unmanned mission, by the specially designed [[Energia]] rocket. The automated launch sequence performed as specified, and the Energia rocket lifted the vehicle into a temporary orbit before the orbiter separated as programmed. After boosting itself to a higher orbit and completing two orbits around the Earth, the ODU (engine control system) engines fired automatically to begin the descent into the atmosphere, [[Return To Launch Site|return to the launch site]], and [[VTHL|horizontal landing]] on a runway.<ref name="natGeo">{{cite web |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/04/160412-soviet-union-space-shuttle-buran-cosmonaut-day-gagarin/ |title=The Forgotten Soviet Space Shuttle Could Fly Itself |publisher=[[National Geographic Society]] |first=Brian |last=Handwerk |date=12 April 2016 |accessdate=12 April 2016}}</ref>

After making an automated approach to Site 251 (known as Yubileyniy Airfield),<ref name="spw20121015" /> ''Buran'' touched down under its own control at 06:24:42&nbsp;UTC and came to a stop at 06:25:24,<ref name="buran1stfl">{{cite web |url=http://www.buran-energia.com/bourane-buran/bourane-versvol-1erVol.php |title=Buran: 1st Flight |work=Buran-Energia.com |accessdate=20 March 2017}}</ref> 206 minutes after launch.<ref name="rockets_and_people">{{cite book |url=http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20050010181_2005010059.pdf |title=Raketi i lyudi |trans-title=Rockets and People |publisher=NASA |series=History Series |first=Boris |last=Chertok |editor-first=Asif A. |editor-last=Siddiqi |page=179 |year=2005}}</ref> Despite a lateral wind speed of {{convert|61.2|km/h|mph}}, ''Buran'' landed only {{convert|3|m|ft}} laterally and {{convert|10|m|ft}} longitudinally from the target mark.<ref name="rockets_and_people" /> Specifically, as ''Buran'' approached Baikonur Cosmodrome and started landing, spacecraft sensors detected the strong [[crosswind]] and "the robotic system sent the huge machine for another rectangular traffic pattern approach, successfully landing the spacecraft on a second try."<ref name="sd20131119a">{{cite news |url=http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Russia_starts_ambitious_super_heavy_space_rocket_project_999.html |title=Russia starts ambitious super-heavy space rocket project |work=Space Daily |date=19 November 2013 |accessdate=13 December 2013}}</ref> It was the first space shuttle to perform an unmanned flight, including landing in fully automatic mode.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-spacecraft-to-orbit-and-land-unmanned |title=Largest spacecraft to orbit and land unmanned |publisher=[[Guinness World Records]] |accessdate=10 March 2017}}</ref> It was later found that ''Buran'' had lost only eight of its 38,000 thermal tiles over the course of its flight.<ref name="sd20131119a" />

=== Projected flights ===
In 1989, it was projected that OK-1K1 would have an unmanned second flight by 1993, with a duration of 15–20 days.<ref name="projected">{{cite web |url=http://www.buran.ru/htm/pilots.htm |title=Экипажи "Бурана" Несбывшиеся планы |website=Buran.ru |language=ru |accessdate=5 August 2006}}</ref> Because the Buran programme was cancelled after the [[dissolution of the Soviet Union]], this never took place.{{Citation needed|date = November 2016}}

== Destruction ==
On 12 May 2002,<ref name="spw20121015" /> the MIK 112 [[hangar]] at the [[Baikonur Cosmodrome]] housing OK-1K1 collapsed, as a result of poor maintenance, during a massive storm in [[Kazakhstan]]. The collapse killed eight workers and destroyed the craft as well as an [[Energia]] carrier rocket.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1985631.stm |title=Russia's space dreams abandoned |work=[[BBC News]] |first=David |last=Whitehouse |date=13 May 2002 |accessdate=14 November 2007}}</ref><ref>[http://www.buran.ru/images/jpg/bbur89.jpg Buran.ru: Photo of collapsed hangar]</ref><ref>[http://www.buran.ru/images/jpg/bbur90.jpg Buran.ru: Remains of ''Buran'' photo with right front windscreen still visible under the debris]</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
* [[OK-GLI]] — Buran Analog BST-02 test vehicle
* [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-105]] — Soviet orbital spaceplane
* [[Space Shuttle program]] (United States)

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book |title=Energiya-Buran: The Soviet Space Shuttle |publisher=Springer-Praxis |first1=Bart |last1=Hendrickx |first2=Bert |last2=Vis |page=526 |date=2007 |isbn=978-0-387-69848-9}}
* {{cite book |title=History and Transportation of the Russian Space Shuttle OK-GLI to the Technik Museum Speyer |publisher=Technik Museum Speyer |first1=Heinz |last1=Elser |first2=Margrit |last2=Elser-Haft |first3=Vladim |last3=Lukashevich |date=2008 |isbn=3-9809437-7-1}}

== External links ==
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* Site dedicated to ''Buran'' reusable space vehicle — [http://www.buran.ru buran.ru].
* Manufacturer — [http://www.buran.ru/htm/molniya.htm NPO MOLNIYA Research and Industrial Corporation].
* [http://www.buran-energia.com/bourane-buran/bourane-desc.php Enthusiast site about the ''Buran'']
* [http://www.buran.ru/htm/foto2.htm ''Buran'' historical photos at NPO MOLNIYA] (buran.ru) with comments in Russian.
* [http://www.buran.ru/htm/video.htm ''Buran'' video archive at NPO MOLNIYA] with comments in Russian.
* [http://www.educatedearth.net/video.php?id=3788 Full video briefing of the ''Buran'']
* [https://ralphmirebs.livejournal.com/219949.html Pictures of the abandoned Baikonur Cosmodrome at Ralph Mirebs] with comments in Russian.
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{{Commons category|Buran (spacecraft)}}
* [http://www.buran.fr/bourane-buran/img/plan-wire-grand.jpg Technical Drawing of the ''Buran'']
* [http://englishrussia.com/?p=1362 Historical photos at englishrussia.com]
* [http://www.astronautix.com/craft/buran.htm Encyclopedia Astronautica article]
* [http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2010/12/07/buran-and-launching-site/ ''Buran'' And Launching Site photos at englishrussia.com]
* [http://rbth.ru/science_and_tech/2014/01/16/buran_what_happened_to_soviet_space_shuttle_33301.html/ Buran: What happened to the Soviet space shuttle?]
* [http://aviationweek.com/blog/photos-soviet-shuttle-dreams-dust Current photos of wreckage] <!-- http://web.archive.org/web/20140617220453/http://aviationweek.com/blog/photos-soviet-shuttle-dreams-dust -->
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{{Clear}}
{{Buran program}}
{{Reusable launch systems}}
{{Space Shuttles}}
{{Crewed spacecraft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buran (Spacecraft)}}
[[Category:Manned spacecraft]]
[[Category:Partially reusable space launch vehicles]]
[[Category:Rocket-powered aircraft]]
[[Category:Tailless delta-wing aircraft]]
[[Category:Soviet inventions]]
[[Category:Buran program]]
[[Category:1988 in the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched in 1988]]
[[Category:2002 disasters]]
[[Category:2002 in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Disasters in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category: Individual space vehicles]]
[[Category: Individual aircraft]]