The magazine of the art-form of the photo-essay
“A free, really high quality photo-essay magazine. Fabulous!”
Stephen Fry. British actor, writer and film & documentary maker
August 2015 back issue
by Dmitry Samochernov
Buran was the first Russian space shuttle orbiter to be produced as part of the Russian Buran program. The orbiter
completed one unmanned space flight on November 15th 1988 but was destroyed in 2002, when the hangar it was
stored in collapsed. It was, and remains, the only Soviet reusable spacecraft to be launched into space.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the ensuing tough economic times, the expensive space programme was
closed.
However, nearly a quarter century later, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome (located in the desert steppe of Kazakhstan), all
but forgotten, two other Buran oribters have been rediscovered..... two ghostly sister ships covered with dust and bird
droppings.
Panoramic view of the inside hangar.
Between the two shuttles are platforms for mounting various parts.
Two space shuttle hangar. In the foreground is the mockup ОК-МТ (a copy of the ship destroyed in 2002), in the
background, "Burya".
Mockup ОК-МТ.
Mockup ОК-МТ.
Under the wing of the "Buiya".
Burya.
Mockup ОК-МТ.
On mockup, orientation engines have not been established.
On the walls of the hangar are various technological platforms. They would have needed to have worked with the
shuttle without touching the thermal protection tiles.
Hatch in the cargo compartment.
The cargo compartment. On the far side is a connecting gateway.
The cockpit.
View of the hangar.
