Buran Space Shuttle - Origins

In 1974 V.P.Glushko was appointed to the post of head of the Korolev Central Design Bureau experimental machine-building (TsKBEM, later renamed RSC Energia). Glushko took a strong-willed (but very logical decision) to curtail all the works on the not justified N1 complex and "shift the emphasis" to the creation of multipurpose multi-use ships. By the time this coincided with the full-scale deployment of the American "Space Shuttle" program, started in 1972. At RSC Energia, work begins on a reusable orbital ship. Due to some delay in time, the initial variant of the orbital plane appeared in 1975 and received the designation OC-120. It was practically a copy of the American Shuttle. OS had three oxygen-hydrogen LRE (11D122 developed KBEM thrust of 250t.) And attached to the side to a tank together with which formed the 2nd stage of the system. The booster played the role of the first stage. MTCS with orbital ship OS-120 had a starting mass of 2380 tons. The OC-120 itself turned out to be heavier than the "Shuttle" - the launch weight was 120 tons, and the landing weight was 89 tons. Placed on the pylons in the tail section were two RTDT emergency rescue systems for emergency separation of the ship from the fuel tanks.

On January 9, 1976 General Designer Glushko Approves a New Option orbiter - OK-92. It had two main differences from OS-120: missing sustainer ["march" engines (they were transferred to the central block of the LV), but there were two jet engines to ensure the possibility of independent flights in the atmosphere. The reason was that all airfields for landing were located on the territory of the USSR, so during the day there were turns, landing from which it was impossible. It was necessary to either to build airfields outside the territory of the USSR, or to increase the energy of the spacecraft at the atmospheric part of the flight with the installation of the jet engiens. The simpler was the second way, which was chosen.

To create the glider OK "Buran" in 1976, a specialized enterprise - Research and Production Association "Molniya" - was established, headed by G.E. Lozino-Lozinsky. The NPO included the Molniya Design Bureau (which had previously dealt with missiles) KB "Burevestnik" of the Tushinsky Machine-Building Plant and the Experimental Machine- a construction plant (EMZ led by Myasishchev) in the city of Zhukovsky. For RSC Energia remained the development of a carrier called "Energy." The development of a multi- space system (ISS) "Energia-Buran" became a milestone for the council.

OKB-52 Chelomey refused to participate in the development of "Buran" in the mid-1970, and initiated the project to develop their own light space aircraft (LKS) with a starting weight of up to 20 tons. With a vertical launch with the Proton LV. But the LKS program did not receive support and was soon closed.