[RN7]

Originally Posted by rcaf_777

Just a couple of points

More infromationon the Buran spacecraft can be found here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buran_(spacecraft)

the artcile states that four other shuttles were in the pipeline as of 1993 and another unmaned fligth of the Buran was planned for 1993.

I don't think they put any life support systems in it, so that is why it's missions were unmanned.

I think two space shuttles would have been as much as the Soviets would have built as unlike America they still had their own rocket based manned space launch programme. I could however live with a third Soviet space shuttle, but no more.

Originally Posted by rcaf_777

Energia: A heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energia.

Had the payload mass of a Saturn V. Amazing how the Soviets could design rockets as powerful as this as well as having a space shuttles programme and have manned rocket launchers for a fraction of the budget that America gave NASA.

Originally Posted by rcaf_777

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-105 Spaceplane: Developed is response to the USAF X-20 Project

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-105].

I'm not sure if the Mig-105 was a real programme or just an elaborate Soviet disinformation exercise.

Originally Posted by rcaf_777

Almaz: The Almaz program was a highly secretive Soviet armed military space station program, which began in the early 1960s.

I think the Mir space station and ultimately the IIS was the end product of the Almaz programme.