Buran (spacecraft)

Buran (Template:Lang-ru, Template:IPA-ru, Snowstorm or Blizzard) was the first spaceplane to be produced as part of the Soviet/Russian 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">Template:Cite web</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

Template:Main Template:Norefs 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 (OK-1K2, informally known as Ptichka) started in 1988. The Buran programme was officially cancelled in 1993.

Operational history

File:Buran.jpg

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 UTC on 15 November 1988 from Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad 110/37.<ref name="spw20121015" /><ref name="energia20081114">Template:Cite web</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 the launch site, and horizontal landing on a runway.<ref name="natGeo">Template:Cite web</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 UTC and came to a stop at 06:25:24,<ref name="buran1stfl">Template:Cite web</ref> 206 minutes after launch.<ref name="rockets_and_people">Template:Cite book</ref> Despite a lateral wind speed of Template:Convert, Buran landed only Template:Convert laterally and Template:Convert 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">Template:Cite news</ref> It was the first space shuttle to perform an unmanned flight, including landing in fully automatic mode.<ref>Template:Cite web</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">Template:Cite web</ref> Because the Buran programme was cancelled after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, this never took place.Template:Citation needed

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>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Buran.ru: Photo of collapsed hangar</ref><ref>Buran.ru: Remains of Buran photo with right front windscreen still visible under the debris</ref>

See also

• OK-GLI — Buran Analog BST-02 test vehicle
• Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-105 — Soviet orbital spaceplane
• Space Shuttle program (United States)

Further reading

• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book

External links

• Site dedicated to Buran reusable space vehicle — buran.ru.
• Manufacturer — NPO MOLNIYA Research and Industrial Corporation.
• Enthusiast site about the Buran
• Buran historical photos at NPO MOLNIYA (buran.ru) with comments in Russian.
• Buran video archive at NPO MOLNIYA with comments in Russian.
• Full video briefing of the Buran
• Pictures of the abandoned Baikonur Cosmodrome at Ralph Mirebs with comments in Russian.

• Technical Drawing of the Buran
• Historical photos at englishrussia.com
• Encyclopedia Astronautica article
• Buran And Launching Site photos at englishrussia.com
• Buran: What happened to the Soviet space shuttle?
• Current photos of wreckage