Buran-Energia

Few weeks ago some people got inside the Buran’s assembly building at Baikonur, the MZK. They found two shuttles, the test shuttle OK-MT and the second shuttle of first generation OK-1.02 named Ptichka (little bird).

This shuttle was finished at 95% when the program was stopped and had some modifications in comparison of the model which flew.

On those pictures we can see that the cabin lost a lot of its on-board apparels during the last years. It is difficult to imagine what was really the completion level at that time. We can also see the details of the air-lock module for docking with the MIR space station (APAS system).

Pictures of the inside and the outside of the shuttle.

The OK-2.01 shuttle was moved few weeks ago from its storage area (Tushino banks) to the Zhukovsky airport to be restored.

This is the first picture of the restoration shoot by Ivan Kirilov, where we can see the work achieved.

Clearly the « restoration » had to be done for the MAKS-2011, because the heat shield was not restored, only a layer of paint was put on the existing tiles. The leading edge and the nose cone are missing, there is not rear view but knowing that the engines weren’t on the model during it’s storage period there is few chance that they put them on the shuttle.

Update 17/08/2011:

Here are 2 new pictures of the MAKS 2011,  head side for visitors, reverse side … without comments.

The Buran shuttle OK-2.01 was moved yesterday (Wednesday 22) for the MAKS 2013.

It’s in the Tushino region, East of Moscow, that the shuttle has been lying for years, this Buran shuttle of second generation wasn’t finished when the program was stopped  in the beginning of the 90′s. Since then Molniya institute has been stocked it on a canal’s wharfage not far from the assembly factory.

On Wednesday 22, June during the day the shuttle was put on a barge to be moved to the MAKS 2013 international air show, which will take place in the Zhukovsky town (Moscow region).

Source: tushino.livejournal.com.

Update:

The shuttle has arrived at Zhukovsky on Monday 27, June.

Here is some pictures I took last summer at Tushino (suburbs of Moscow) where the second generation Buran OK-2.01 is stocked, we can see that she is in a pretty bad shape.

Here is some pictures I took in the Tushino’s suburbs where Buran OK-2.01 is parked.

Landing gear.

Actuator of the vertical stabilizer.

Reinforced Carbon Carbon tile (leading edge of the wing).

Braking parachute it’s weighting 175kg and was used to slow down the shuttle after it’s landing. We can see on the third picture the user’s guide.

Here is some pictures of the rusting OK-2.01 shuttle. This shuttle was in assembling when the program was stopped in 1993. It should have some modifications in the cabin, in comparison of the model which flew.

Pictures I took at Tushino in April 2008:

Here is some pictures of the 2.01 Buran shuttle taken at the begining of the year before on the TMZ’s parking at Tushino (near Moscow).

Unfortunately, the shuttle (or what there is left) is subjected to the bad weather and in not so many years it will be good to be put in a wasteland.

A reader of Livejournal.com recently took pictures of the shuttle 2.01. These pictures were taken from a boat on a canal around the Tushino airbase. We can see the 2.01 model, without wings, covered by a tarpaulin as the only protection.