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Why was Buran so similar to the space shuttle?
The design of the Buran (“blizzard” in Russian) was remarkably similar to that of the US shuttle. That’s no coincidence: “The Russians needed a vehicle of similar dimensions because they wanted to match the payload capacity of the space shuttle,” said Soviet space historian Bart Hendrickx in an email interview.
Was Buran a copy of the space shuttle?
A Buran Space Shuttle sits on the launch pad. It was fairly faithfully reproduced with Soviet tech as wind tunnels showed its shape was ideal – NASA had done the work. However, it wasn’t an exact copy, the Buran was actually better in some respects.
What was unique about the space shuttle Why was it significant?
The space shuttle did many things. It could carry up to seven astronauts at a time. It took satellites to space so they could orbit Earth. The shuttle carried large parts into space to build the International Space Station.
Did the Buran land itself?
Buran completed one uncrewed spaceflight in 1988, and was destroyed in the 2002 collapse of its storage hangar….Buran (spacecraft)
| Буран | |
|---|---|
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Named after | Russian for “Snowstorm” or “Blizzard” |
| Status | Destroyed 12 May 2002 |
| First flight | 15 November 1988 |
Did the Buran have jet engines?
A test vehicle was constructed with four jet engines mounted at the rear; this vehicle is usually referred to as OK-GLI, or as the “Buran aerodynamic analogue”. The jets were used to take off from a normal landing strip, and once it reached a designated point, the engines were cut and OK-GLI glided back to land.
Why did the Buran fail?
After the first flight of a Buran shuttle, the project was suspended due to lack of funds and the political situation in the Soviet Union. The project was officially terminated on 30 June 1993, by President Boris Yeltsin. At the time of its cancellation, 20 billion rubles had been spent on the Buran programme.
What was one benefit of the space shuttle quizlet?
The main advantage is that it is reusable. What is a space shuttle’s main advantage? Space Shuttles perform many important tasks such as, taking satellites into orbit, repairing damaged satellites, and carrying astronauts and equipment to and from space stations.
Why did the Buran launch resemble the Space Shuttle?
The Buran launched strapped onto the Energia launch vehicle, the largest among Soviet launch vehicles. It resembled the American shuttle quite closely — not by coincidence. Through espionage, the Soviets obtained the design specifications of the US shuttle.
How did the Soviets get the US Space Shuttle design specifications?
Through espionage, the Soviets obtained the design specifications of the US shuttle. A model of the Buran and its launch vehicle, the Energia, which Russian President Boris Yeltsin donated to the Museum.
What happened to the second Soviet Space Shuttle?
The second Soviet shuttle, Ptichka, which never left the ground. The rear-mounted engines on the Soviet space shuttle. A side view of the Soviet space shuttle. An orbiter and mockup, left to languish after the Soviet shuttle program was cancelled.
What is the Soviet reusable space system?
Formally called the Reusable Space System, this new spacecraft could, like its American counterpart, fly missions as short as a day and as long as a month, but unlike NASA’s shuttle the Soviet version wouldn’t replace all ongoing programs. Work would continue with the Soyuz and Salyut programs as well as the Mir space station program.