Space Shuttle Buran facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Buran Буран
Orbiter 1K1 at the 1989 Paris Air Show
Country	Soviet Union
Named after	"Snowstorm"
Status	Destroyed in a 2002 hangar collapse
First flight	15 November 1988
Last flight	15 November 1988
No. of missions	1
Crew members	0
Time spent in space	3 hours, 25 minutes, 22 seconds
No. of orbits	2

The Space Shuttle Buran (which means "Snowstorm" in Russian) was a special spacecraft built by the Soviet Union. It was their first space shuttle, designed to fly into space and return to Earth, just like an airplane. Buran only flew once, without any people inside, before it was put away. Sadly, it was later destroyed in an accident in 2002.

What Was the Buran Space Shuttle?

The Buran was a reusable spacecraft, meaning it could be used for more than one trip to space. It looked a lot like the American Space Shuttles. The Soviet Union built it as part of their own space program.

Buran's First and Only Flight

The Buran orbiter, known as OK-1K1, was finished in 1984. Its first and only flight happened on November 15, 1988. This flight was completely controlled by computers, with no astronauts on board. The Buran launched into orbit, circled the Earth twice, and then landed safely on its own. This was a big achievement for the Soviet space program!

Why Didn't Buran Fly Again?

There were plans for the Buran to fly more missions. However, the Soviet Union began to break apart around that time. This event, called the dissolution of the Soviet Union, meant there was no longer enough money or support for the Buran program. Because of this, the second flight never happened.

The End of Buran

After its single flight, the Buran orbiter was stored in a large building called a hangar. On May 12, 2002, this hangar collapsed. The building fell apart because it had not been properly looked after. The collapse destroyed the Buran shuttle and its rocket. It was a sad end for this amazing spacecraft.

Images for kids

• 

  Buran during launch of flight 1K1 on 15 November 1988

• 

  Buran OK-1.01 orbiter

See also

In Spanish: Transbordador Burán para niños