Russian photographer and urban explorer Ralph Mirebs
managed to enter one of the abandoned Buran Soviet Space Shuttles
hangars in Baikonur. What he captured is probably one of the saddest
images of human space exploration.
Placed at Baikonur Cosmodrome in the middle of the
Kazakh steppe, the great hangar called Site 112 was built to house the
massive N1 moon rocket, now housing the crypt of two Buran shuttle
prototypes in an advanced state of decay.
The
Soviet's Buran program
lasted from 1974 to 1993, and it managed to complete only one automated
orbital flight before funding stopped when the Soviet Union collapsed
in 1991.
Being very similar to NASA's VAB (Vertical Assembly
Building), the two shuttles were designed to be each connected to the
massive Energia launchers at Site 112 and then brought to Site 110,
which was basically the dedicated launching pad for Buran-class
takeoffs.
Site 110, just as Site 112, was purpose-built for launching the N1 moon rocket and it also later converted to serve the Burans.
Unfortunately, the massive debris and dust gathered
on the two shuttles was the result of the roof collapsing in 2002. The
two Burans have been exposed to the elements outside ever since.
One of the two shuttles is the OK-1K2, which was
ready for spaceflight in 1992. It was about to make a second flight in
automatic mode and dock with the Mir space station. The other one is a
mock-up for load tests.
Their future fate is unknown, but it is likely
they'll stay forever locked in a hangar exposed to dust and sand in the
Kazakh desert, as the dream of the soviet shuttle program will remain
forever forgotten.
Check out the gallery below for more photos captured by Ralph Mirebs on the spot.
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY (13 Images)
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