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Official Project Launch
The Central Commitee of the Communist Party and the Soviet of Ministers of the USSR issued a combined decree (No. 132-51), officially launching the development of the Energia-Buran system. -
Reusable System Approved
Dimitry Ustinov approves technical requirements for the Buran reusable system. -
Buran Plans Finalized
The Military Industrial Commission of the Soviet of Ministers of the USSR finalized the industrial team involved in Energia-Buran development. -
The Test
A manned prototype of the Spiral space plane was dropped from a modified Typolev-95 strategic bomber for a free-flight test. -
Soviet Goverment
The Soviet government issued a decree detailing major stages and activities in the development of the Energia-Buran system. -
First Test Flight
The 3M-T Atlant transport aircraft conducts the first test flight carrying a hydrogen tank of the Energia rocket. -
Buran in the air!
The VM-T aircraft carried the Buran orbiter for the first time. -
Official Flight
The Typolev-154 flying laboratory designed to test software and automated landing systems of the Buran orbiter conducted its first flight. -
Splash
Bor-4 No. 405, a model of the Spiral space plane was launched into orbit and splashed down in the Black Sea instead of Indian Ocean to maintain secrecy around the project. It was announced under name Cosmos-1517. -
Last Launch of Bor-4
The last launch of the Bor-4 orbiter concluding a series of four test flights. It was announced as Cosmos-1614. The craft splashed down in the Black Sea. -
Runway Test
The prototype of the Buran orbiter, designated 002-GLI, conducted the first taxi tests on a runway. -
Launch Pad
Test rollout of the Energia-Buran system on the launch pad at Site 110 at Baikonur. -
Back to the Lab
The Buran orbiter removed from the launch vehicle and returned to the processing area for upgrades. -
Ready for Launch
The Energia-Buran system was rolled out to the launch pad in preparation for the first test mission, scheduled for Oct. 29, 1988. -
Postpone
At T-51 seconds before the scheduled liftoff, the automated processing system issued an emergency command after it has detected a problem in the launch sequence. The State Commission made the decision to postpone the launch until Nov. 15, 1988. -
Liftoff
06:00:02 Moscow Time: The Energia super-heavy booster carrying an unmanned Buran reusable shuttle blasted off from Baikonur. 206 minutes or two orbits later, the Buran automatically landed at the Yubileiniy airfield at Site 251 in Baikonur. -
Down Goes Buran!
The flight version of the Buran orbiter is destroyed in the roof collapse at Site 112 in Baikonur. -
The End of Buran
A full-scale prototype of the Buran orbiter is removed from RKK Energia's Checkout and Test Building, KIS, to be installed at an outside display site.
