Quote:
Originally Posted by Wavytone
And IMHO I'm still puzzled about whether Buran 001 ever really made it into orbit. The rocket motors fitted to the Buran itself (in photos) are far too puny to lift it vertically, and there's a small problem of where to put all the fuel needed to lift it into orbit - there was never any sign the Burans had booster rockets to do the heavy lifting, nor an external fuel tank.
Perhaps it's rather convenient it was crushed and destroyed.
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HUH????
http://www.spaceistheplace.ca/energiaburanonpad2.jpg
AND
http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgu...d=0CFYQMyghMCE
AND
http://www.buran.ru/images/jpg/bbur32.jpg
None of the Shuttles or Shuttleskis were designed to go into orbit by themselves without external rocket assistance.
You seem confused about the concept perhaps?
The Buran did not need rockets on the fuselage itself un like the US Shuttles. The Energia was both a large fuel tank AND rocket in one - the nozzles are hidden in the photos shown. The boosters did disconnect after being spent too like the Shuttle SRB's.
The Buran was also considerably lighter than the Shuttle, so the thrust required was less to achieve orbit.
Incidentally, Buran means Blizzard in Russian.