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mistrrhappy t1_j4xhxlc wrote

Reply to comment by dbx999 in Does anyone have information about Russian space SHUTTLES? just saw a post with a picture of it, didn’t know they existed! by freeastronaut2100

They took the overall design and made some real improvements. Better use of the space once the main engines were made unnecessary by Energia's immense capability.

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dbx999 t1_j4xi8p1 wrote

Why didn’t they use it in space?

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Express-Set-8843 t1_j4xivee wrote

Cost and timing. It was really expensive, funding disappeared, then so did the Soviet Union.

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mistrrhappy t1_j4xj828 wrote

They ran out of money, unfortunately. Energia and their shuttles, Buran and Pichka were very ambitious, and very expensive. The Buran was launched unmanned into space, and orbited the Earth twice, and made a fully automated landing. A successful first flight by any measure. Sadly, the collapse of the Soviet Union meant that the budgets for these programs weren't maintainable financially. The USSR had some very good aerospace engineers. It's a shame, really. You should read all the links others have posted on this thread.

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