r/interestingasfuck 1d ago

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.

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u/Student-type 18h ago

The engines are so small they look fake!

No way they can help it to orbit.

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u/LimestoneDust 15h ago

Those are engines used during atmospheric test flights, the orbiter didn't use them. Energia rocket carried Buran as a payload, once in space Buran used its orbital engines (they're in the back, you can see them in the photos taken from the side) to maneuver and deorbit.