As for the Soviet articals. I happen to be very skeptical about anything from the Soviets during that time. Sorry but I dont take a lot of their stuff with a grain of salt.
Nor do I but particulary here it's NOT a Soviet articels Adler! I already told you they're written in 2000ies using open archives data.
The artical had quotes from American scientist and aviation officials from that time.
there're some suggestions and nothing more. And as we see, they couldn't hit even a 50 percent quote! No history of development, no design description, no historical background, no nothing. That's NOT a research!
Trust the internet. I like that one.
they're are NOT internet articles - they were written in some Russian science magazines like Aviacija i Kosmonavtika etc and in some books, in that one for example :
WHat you see on the internet site is just a compilation from some of them. Look at the literature used on this site:
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solid enough I guess? THAT's what you need for a cerious research! Most of the sources are already scanned and clickable , so take your time while using an automatic translator and start some serious research, if you wish. there're TONS and TONS of information.
NASA favoured an air-launched vehicle but the Space Shuttle was favoured because it was big and expensive and secured jobs!
exactly , no way you can put 200 tons or even 100 tons into orbit from an air launch. Not with today's technology I mean, and sure not with the 70ies technology.
Exactly and Russian's who worked on the project even stated that they did not prefer the Space Shuttle idea, however the military pushed for it to stay on parity with the United States.
Yes, but the Ministry of Defence never spoked about a copying of the Shuttle unlike Stalins' order to copy the Tu-4. Here's the quote from the requirements specification from 1973:
"исключить возможную техническую и военную внезапность, связанную с появлением у потенциального противника многоразовой транспортной космической системы "Space Shuttle" - принципиально нового технического средства доставки на околоземные орбиты и возвращения на Землю значительных масс полезных грузов"."
it's the only part of the document where the Space Shuttle is mentioned.
Buran in Tushino, Moscow, picture made several days ago, 56K warning:
ru_aviation: Ð'уран в Тушино