Buran-Energia

Here is some pictures of the launch pad 110 and 250 shot in 2006. To remind you, the 110 area was used to launch Buran in November 15, 1988, whereas the 250 area was used to launch Polyus in May 17, 1987.

Those 2 areas haven’t been used since then and are in a bad shape now.

Area 110:

Area 250:

New videos about the Antonov Mriya, with an interesting montage showing pictures of the assembling and first flights on the Mriya:

I updated the shop part of the website with a new framework, it will allow me to add new products more easily. It took me lot of time for making it and now it’s operational I will have more time to add articles to the site.

The test shuttle OK-M was moved few days ago from the area 254, to be parked near the Baikonur’s museum (area 2). May be it will be restaured or stocked in better conditions.

Area 254:

Area 2:

Update of March 2:

Numerous projects were studied to use this mock-up and emphasize the heritage which it represents, but all failed because they required too important investments. In the second half of January the authorities, under the management of the first assistant Tomchuka V. R. of ФКЦ of Baikonur, finally decided to move the mock-up towards the Bailonur’s museum because it is the cheapest solution. The outside of the shuttle will be restored, a cabin with cosmonauts’ seats will be installed there and a showroom will be fitted out in the payload bay. It is a second life for this shuttle which takes place at the time of the twentieth anniversary of the Energia’s first launch (in May 17th, 1987).

Carriage:

Update of March 22:

Renovation work:

I added a new document Birds of a feather. Birds of a Feather? How Politics and Culture Affected the Designs of the U.S. Space Shuttle and the Soviet Buran. This work by Stephen J. Garber is very interesting because it shows the evolution of the orbital planes conception from the American and Soviet side as well as the various political and technical choices which led to such solution. Furthermore it shows clearly that the development of Buran was not due to a scientific need but indeed to balance the military forces between the 2 sides.

I have just added a new chapter to the site which speak about the available documentation on the project Buran-Energia. I begin with the publication of a work grouping together the technical documentation of the NPO Molniya company (master builder). Very complete work on the Buran shuttle and the MAKS shuttle.

Here is some unsorted pictures of the Baikonur’s facility, production machines, Buran’s test chamber (oven to test the Buran’s heat chield), and a Buran’s period scheme.

Here are some pictures of the Energia’s first stage, in the Baikonur’s workshop:

I added them in the Energia’s pictures section.