the Head of the Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, speaking on the air of “Komsomolskaya Pravda”, he said, including that now the possibility of creating a winged manned spacecraft. According to him, “spaceplane” will be able to operate within the atmosphere and in the vacuum of space, especially in near space. And called it “a very promising subject.”
How to tell our sources in the space industry, work has already begun. And we are not talking about the revival of the Soviet space Shuttle “Buran”, but rather, about light space plane “Spiral”. This amazing spacecraft was developed and even tested in the Soviet Union a few decades ago. To this day the technical ideology embodied in it are outdated.
Recall that in the 1970-ies in the USSR actually created a completely unique orbital plane, able to perform purely peaceful objectives and military. In the civil case, he could solve the most different tasks. And in the case of combat use was able to destroy potentially dangerous objects in space and strike the earth. This provided for the installation on Board six missiles “space-space” or a powerful “orbit the earth”. In the future, was supposed to host a laser weapon, work on which we were actively and successfully.
Even more incredibly, that work on space fighter began in 1964. Few people know, although this is no longer a secret, they were conducted to the aircraft design Bureau, which was then headed by A. I. Mikoyan.
Led the implementation of the project “Spiral”, under which developed the orbital plane, an outstanding designer Gleb E. Lozino-Lozinsky.
it was Assumed that special hypersonic planes responsice will be fixed already single orbital plane. In the project the orbital plane had a length of 8 meters and a weight of 10 tons. Its initial orbit is 130 km After necessary tasks are completed, the spaceplane would return to earth like a regular plane.
According to the approved calendar plan, which, I must say, is clearly observed, the first experimental device was to be launched into orbit to fly unmanned in 1970. The first manned flight was planned for 1977.
Much before the Americans, we have created a reusable space ship with a very interesting thermal insulation and a unique system of emergency rescue, which, if necessary, “shoot” the entire unit, turning it into an escape pod.
without going into historical details, we can only say that virtually created the “Spiral” support from the top Soviet leadership, including the military, have not received. Lozino-Lozinski refocused on the creation of similar ��American “Shuttles” – complex “Energy-Buran”. He headed a specially created NGO “Lightning”.
However, it was built a few scale models of the orbital plane. These models are called BOR were launched on different trajectories of ballistic missiles from the Baikonur Kapustin Yar.
3 Jun 1982 model plane orbital BOR-4 or Space-1374 was withdrawn into orbit and successfully returned to Earth. The unit made one and a half orbits around the Earth then splashed down in the Indian ocean. In the area seemed to have gathered all the naval and air reconnaissance forces not only USA, but also Australia.
Foreign observers managed to shoot from all angles and drive down the BOR-4. Subsequent thorough analysis of the obtained images, it is necessary to think, plunged the Pentagon into despair. Most likely, Moscow was a strong pressure, more “Spiral” in space was not raised. It should say that the characteristic appearance our spaceplane themselves its creators called “bast”, that does not detract from its value.
Recall, our Buran flew into space and landed successfully after only six years in 1988. Alas, as the BOR-4 in the first and last time.
But over the ocean the theme of our space fighter is not only very carefully considered, but in the end could even realize. American mini-Shuttle Boeing X-37, apparently something too reminiscent of “bast”, was a remarkable phenomenon of modern Astronautics. This reusable space drone able to be at specific orbits years.
however, he can maneuver and change altitude from 200 to 750 kilometers. Boeing X-37 in secrecy has already accomplished several space missions. And it can not be disturbed. Russian military experts believe that above our heads in outer space to fly a full reconnaissance warship. Most recently, on may 17, 2020, X-37 went to the next, as stated by NASA, “research” flight. Unlike the manned rockets Elon musk, its start and the launch went without any problems.
So, now we have to catch up. However, it should be solved, rather, organizational and financial issues. Experts believe that hypersonic combat modules “vanguard” is created on the technology, first implemented in the Spiral. That is, scientific-technical and development work with the spaceplane already partially carried out. We must go further. Moreover, this apparatus can not only fight.
