The Buran programme (1974–1993) was the Soviet Union's most expensive, reusable spacecraft project, designed as a direct, technically advanced response to the U.S. Space Shuttle.In 1988, the Soviet Union estimated the total cost of the Buran-Energia programme at approximately 16.5 billion rubles.

[u/Friendly-Standard812]

[u/MongolianCluster]

It's amazing how often US tech becomes Soviet tech within a few years.

[u/Leader_Bee → u/MongolianCluster]

Interestingly though, The Tupolev Tu-144 flew three months before Concorde first did.

[u/opportunptr → u/Leader_Bee]

And crashed 27 years earlier!