Soviet orbiter Buran, which resembles the American space shuttle in both appearance and operation. It was created by the Energia aerospace bureau, and in 1988 it completed a single fully automated, unmanned flight before being grounded shortly afterward as a result of cost overruns and the fall of the Soviet Union.
The heavy-lift Energia booster rocket and the Buran launch vehicle were developed together and received approval in 1976. It was seen as a vast improvement over the previous generation of Soviet launch vehicles because Energia could carry 100,000 kg (220,000 pounds) to low Earth orbit, slightly more than the American Saturn V. The Energia-Buran system was intended to compete with the American space shuttle programme, but within the Soviet aerospace industry, it played a more minor role.
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