Baikonur "Energia" and "Buran"

Continuing the theme of Baikonur is now: Running the "Union»

This is what is left of the project "Energy-Buran" - the Soviet answer to the American "shuttles»

34 Photo © drugoi

The picture shows the same ill-fated assembly and test building (MIC) at the 112th site of the cosmodrome, where May 12, 2002 the roof collapsed, burying eight people carrier rocket "Energy" and the only copy to fly into space, "Buran". Here and now, everything remains as before, it is no longer only within the "Buran" - it is said to be employees of the cosmodrome, sawed into pieces and sold as scrap metal. The roof is not going to fix one - case anyone else is not needed. Adjacent he, incidentally, to the NGO working assembly shop "Energy", which collect "Seven."





At the gates of the ruined monuments of the eternal Mika are two giant transport and installation of the unit (TUA) on which the project booster, and the shuttle had to be delivered to the launch site. The weight of each unit - 2750 tons, they moved on special rails with a few unique locomotives series ZMU62P. Someday, after thousands of years, archaeologists will find these monsters in the desert and will puzzle over for what they needed people in the XX century.



Nature now takes his own, quietly Mick playground in front of overgrown grass, which makes its way through the cracks in the concrete slabs.



Left - the ruined gates Mika. There breezing unit (TUA) on it using a crane loaded "energy" with "Buran" on the back and then transported to the launch pad. Two units - planned to launch "Burana" will take place almost every month, and even more often.



Now this place is fenced rusty barbed wire. Aggregates was chosen by the family of stray dogs. They feed near - in the dining room of NGOs "Energy".



View from the MIC in the opposite direction - to the rails to the launch pad was leaving "Energy" with the "Buran". White Tower on the left - shaker test for a bunch of missile-carrier "hook."



To go from Mick to launch complex long distances are great. The road runs along the railway line, which moved a complex "Energy-Buran".



The launch complex where flew to his first and only flight "Buran". There's now no one, the complex preserved and protected by the security service of the cosmodrome. Protect try everything here that has not yet been pillaged. The territory is huge spaceport before from the steppe to it periodically raided local population in the hope to profit something useful on the farm, which can be taken for scrap.



Nearby is the twin brother of the launch complex "Energy-Buran". He completely abandoned and, it seems, is not fully completed. In all such areas should have been four, but the last, the fourth, only the beginning built when the program was closed. Venues for the start of "Burana" is well defined through the pipes of the unit emergency evacuation of cosmonauts (AEE). It consists of an inclined lift for loading / unloading of the crew and the emergency evacuation tray.



Hence it flew "Buran".



General view of the two launch complexes for the "Buran".



We went to the place of the first start of "energy" to the platform 250a. On this stele painted Start "Energy" with a mock battle laser space platform "Polyus" on the back. "Polyus" then and has not been put into its target orbit and was sunk in the Pacific Ocean.



Along the road stretched the remains of the gallery with the means of communication and pipelines for the launch complex. The whole program "Energy-Buran" was intended for military purposes, the military worked here, here and slogans on the walls of the gallery



General view of the launch complex "Energy" at the site 250a. Here May 15, 1987 was made the first start of a new launch vehicle.



No photograph can convey, of course, as the launch pad - a gigantic structure, overwhelming its size. The height of the tower of service - more than 100 meters. Masts lightning nearby - much higher.



There are lacking human figure for scale, but you can be guided by the known width of your normal railway track - here they are, one and two. In this way at the start brought the "energy" of Mika, which here is not even visible. On the left in the distance one can see the launch pads "Buran".



Vapor tray is also striking for its size - it is several times more than the "Gagarin" launch, fly away into space from the "Union."



Start table "Energy." Iron structure with "steps" - a lighter engine booster. Visible nozzle water cannons - before the start of the water rocket at Baikonur hoarded a few weeks, it is necessary for such a run of several thousand tons.



View the table starting from the top. Round metal bars (where the torn fabric) - support for the launch vehicle. "Seven" at the start of hanging on special hooks, like a coat on a hanger - for the "Energy" have come up with another system, the rocket after removal services farms remained standing here on these round supports.



Another huge piece of iron - the mobile service tower.



Types of Launch Complex «Energy»:



22



23



24



25



26



During the construction of the whole area of ​​the complex was laid out here is a metal tiles:



During the first start of "Energy" rocket slightly bent and the jet of hot gases in an instant blew the entire coating. Until now, the iron base traces from flying metal tiles.



The launch complex at the site 250a is conserved. Built next to the production of chemical used to make rocket fuel components.



In the yard of the museum at the launch site is one of the test dummies "Buran".



Inside the cabin, "shuttle»:



32



33



In summary: I can hardly imagine how much money has been invested, and, as a result, wasted for the development and construction of the project "Energy-Buran". Those who read this blog for a long time, knows my indifferent attitude to the space program in general and to the Soviet, in particular. For me it arhiinteresnaya theme - just about anything that is related to the conquest of space. However, now I can not help but realize that space exploration, especially manned - a privilege of developed countries. A country where everything is good.

To get involved in a story that is worth billions and billions, the country where there is no infrastructure, where there are no roads, where half the population lives, to put it mildly, in the constrained material and housing conditions, where there is no normal medicine, and God knows what is not - simply it is impossible. The prestige of the country, since it is so necessary to win, consists not of just such cosmic games, just because of the very good roads, well-fed, healthy and prosperous population, low levels of corruption, alleged government.

That's when it's all there in the country, then please can spend money on space, beautiful winged cars run to the stars and be proud of it. The Soviet Union was nothing like that, why spend billions of rubles on such monstrous project was senseless and inhumane - so let's call a spade a spade.



Source:

Tags

See also

New and interesting