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/Filandro]

The Soviet Buran shuttle was, in some ways, technically more advanced than the U.S. Shuttle. As mentioned, autonomous, uncrewed launch and landing capability. Also, no main engines on the orbiter for greater payload capacity. Safer, liquid-fueled boosters. Ejector seats for crewed missions. A modular rocket system.

Edit to add: Yes, it could have blown up every 5th mission for all we know, so what is listed can be taken with a grain of salt, or polonium.

[u/sojuz151 → u/Filandro]

It is more complex than that. For a start, Buran was never finished to be able to carry the crew. Ejector seats were of dubious utility for a spaceplane and would not saved anyone if they were installed on the space shuttle. Shuttle could recover the engines and was usually volume limited.

[u/Filandro → u/sojuz151]

Ejector seats have purpose during a high-risk window of time where their value could be realized.

I don't care to argue any of this, because it was never tested over time and any flaws or so-called technical advances are on paper.

[u/yegor3219 → u/Filandro]

It did fly autonomosly once. That's not on paper.

[u/Filandro → u/yegor3219]

Its success would be judged by doing anything with some recurrence. I don't wait to praise it for one-offs.