The Space Shuttles - US and Russian.

[syscom3]

The Buran was copied from the NASA designs of the early 70's.

 

[marconi]

Anyway, the Shuttle's era is coming to its end.NASA is developing a new space ship which will look more like Russian "Proton".

 

[Willybite]

The whole "shuttle" concept is a half-assed, stop gap vehicle that is a spce ship wanna be. When we get a vehicle that can take off without massive, bulbous, jury-rigged tanks and rockets and can land with power then we'll have a real space ship.

Absolutely. I say that the whole shuttle concept has been a waste of time and effort in that that technology is bound to take us nowhere... pun intended.

 

[Willybite]

Yes, although lessons in management, science and technology are being learnt the whole thrust of the effort is misdirected and unlikely to take us far. Puns intended.

 

[Matt308]

Negative. Depends on the original requirements. The Shuttle was certainly a failure in cheap access to space. But one must understand that it's design was hamstrung by the DoD. Without such huge payload requirements, the Shuttle was likely to have been much smaller and more likely less systematically robust. Couple that with having to be human space flight qualified and you now understand the USAF X-37B.

 

[Capt. Vick]

It is my understanding that the Buran pictured above is a static, non-working, airframe used for ground testing only (at Baikonur Cosmodrome?) The one Buran that actually went (un-manned) into space was severely damaged, and presumably scrapped, when the roof of the hanger it was being stored in collapsed under the weight of an excessive snow fall.

So let me get this straight: The Soviets built a better "Space Shuttle" but they can't build a hanger to withstand heavy snow fall?

 

[Matt308]

The Russian shuttle is actually safer than the US shuttle, but the Russians also have their problems.

Henk

The safest flying vehicle is the one that doesn't fly.