Former Soviet Union Space Shuttle "Bran", a picture of a fantasy now and a gorgeous past image

In the Cold War era, the United States and the Soviet Union competed with terrible competition in every field. Especially in space development both parties pour a huge budget and the literal dead heat was carried out as to which one can go far to the end, but what was developed in the Soviet Union was the Soviet space shuttle "Blanc(Meaning snowstorm in Russian) ".

Many machines were produced for the unmanned flight test, but the manned flight canceled as the Soviet Union collapsed. It is an image of the present day of the blanching machine which has become a frenzy now and the past day of Blanc who actually went back to the universe.

Details are below.
English Russia >> Buran, The First Russian Shuttle

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English Russia >> Buran. The Soviet Space Shuttle

What is becoming a frenzy is the aircraft OM - K for ground testing in Brans development.

Bran's testing machine OM - K is kept in the outdoor corner of Baikonur Space Station.


At that time, the Soviet UnionTu-160 Strategic BomberAnd the AmericanB-1 strategic bomberAlthough the similarity of multiple aircraft was pointed out, etc., this bran also looks like the American version Space Shuttle on the left side of the image.


A nose which is narrower than that of the American one.


From the rear.


The position of the side hatch is exactly the same.


Tail section. I can understand that there was a rumor that one of them imitates either because it looks just like it.


The faded vertical tail is painful.


On November 15, 1988, Blanc was unmanned and was launched from the Baikonur Space Station and went around the Earth orbit for 206 minutes and successfully landed on the runway at the same base.

The world's largest transport aircraftAn-225 MulyaWas produced to carry this bran. This is when the 2010 Haiti earthquake occurred,Ground Self Defense Force Haiti Reconstruction Assistance Assisted to transport equipment and materials of PKO troopsEven now I am active in active work.


Blanc can be suspended with a crane.


It is transported from the factory to the Baikonur of the launch base.


Install rocket booster in the factory.


It pulls over the track and is taken to the launch site.


RD-0120One liquid fuel engineRD-170We bundled four auxiliary rocketsEnergiaBran on the rocket.


A total of 22 nozzles line up, a spectacular view from the back behind the space shuttle made in America.


It was set up at the launch site.


From the side. The pipe extending diagonally downward from the side hatch is a slope for emergency escape. I am familiar with the underground shelter so that I could protect the crew's life even in the event of an explosion accident.


Baikonur Space Station sinking in the dusk. At the time of the Cold War this cityA closed cityIn and out was strictly managed as.


launch.


And Bran returned home safely.


I'm sipping a lot of fever at the time of reentry.


By the way the aircraft of this one was kept at the Baikonur Space Station afterwards, but the hangar has collapsed with the hangar because the roof of the hangar has fallen. If the Soviet Union did not collapse, what kind of aircraft had evolved is not interesting.