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  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 53.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 29.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 15.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 50.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 49.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 47.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 46.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 45.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 38.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 34.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 36.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 27.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 31.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 16.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 10.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 11.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 12.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 06.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 04.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 54.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 56.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 55.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 48.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 51.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 43.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 44.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 42.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 41.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 40.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 37.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 33.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 32.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 30.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 28.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 25.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 26.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 19.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 24.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 23.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 22.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 20.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 21.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 18.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 17.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 13.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 14.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 09.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 05.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 03.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 52.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 39.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 35.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 08.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 07.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 01.jpg
  • Abandoned since the 1970's Soviet rocket still stands tall in disused hanger<br />
<br />
In the late 70's of the last century,  Soviet Union began to develop a superheavy rocket called "Energy." <br />
<br />
Energy was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. <br />
<br />
It flew for the first time in 1987, and in 1988 brought to Earth orbit the reusable space shuttle Buran. On its basis, the Energia-M rocket was designed.<br />
<br />
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.<br />
<br />
The Energia was designed to launch the Russian "Buran" reusable shuttle,and for that reason was designed to carry its payload mounted on the side of the stack, rather than on the top, as is done with other launch vehicles. After design of the Energia-Buran system, it was also proposed that the booster could be used without the Buran as a heavy-lift cargo launch vehicle; this configuration was originally given the name "Buran-T". This configuration required the addition of an upper stage to perform the final orbital insertion.[6] The first launch of the Energia was in the configuration of a heavy launch vehicle, with the large Polyus military satellite as a payload, however Polyus failed to correctly perform the orbital insertion.<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1991, the mock-up  was placed on the launch pad, and two days later the layout was returned back to the Dynamic Test Building.  The doors was closed, and work on the development of the rocket was stopped.  The main reason is the collapse of the USSR and the difficult economic situation.<br />
©Ralph Mirebs/Exclusivepix Media
    ExPix_Abandoned_Soviet_rocket 02.jpg
  • Ämari Pilots’ Cemetery: The Woodland Graves of Deceased Soviet Flyers<br />
<br />
In September 2010 the 9,000-foot runway at Ämari Air Base in Estonia was relaid in a bid to transition the former Warsaw Pact airfield to NATO use. But echoes of its Soviet days abound across the site, nowhere more poignant than the unusual Ämari pilots’ cemetery, which lies in woodland south of the airfield.<br />
Originally called Suurküla, Ämari Air Base lies in Estonia’s Harju County, four miles south of Lake Klooga. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union it was home to several squadrons of Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer medium bombers.<br />
But since April 2014, the facility has hosted a detachment of Danish F-16 fighter jets, tasked with NATO’s mission to defend the airspace of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.<br />
Meanwhile, in the base’s woodland cemetery rest the bodies of Soviet pilots killed on active service, some of their graves marked by the tail fins of Russian-built combat aircraft against which, ironically, the base is defended today.<br />
©Exclusivepix Media
    Exclusivepix_Plane_Tail_Graves3.jpg
  • Ämari Pilots’ Cemetery: The Woodland Graves of Deceased Soviet Flyers<br />
<br />
In September 2010 the 9,000-foot runway at Ämari Air Base in Estonia was relaid in a bid to transition the former Warsaw Pact airfield to NATO use. But echoes of its Soviet days abound across the site, nowhere more poignant than the unusual Ämari pilots’ cemetery, which lies in woodland south of the airfield.<br />
Originally called Suurküla, Ämari Air Base lies in Estonia’s Harju County, four miles south of Lake Klooga. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union it was home to several squadrons of Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer medium bombers.<br />
But since April 2014, the facility has hosted a detachment of Danish F-16 fighter jets, tasked with NATO’s mission to defend the airspace of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.<br />
Meanwhile, in the base’s woodland cemetery rest the bodies of Soviet pilots killed on active service, some of their graves marked by the tail fins of Russian-built combat aircraft against which, ironically, the base is defended today.<br />
©Modris Putns/Exclusivepix Media
    Exclusivepix_Plane_Tail_Graves4.jpg
  • Ämari Pilots’ Cemetery: The Woodland Graves of Deceased Soviet Flyers<br />
<br />
In September 2010 the 9,000-foot runway at Ämari Air Base in Estonia was relaid in a bid to transition the former Warsaw Pact airfield to NATO use. But echoes of its Soviet days abound across the site, nowhere more poignant than the unusual Ämari pilots’ cemetery, which lies in woodland south of the airfield.<br />
Originally called Suurküla, Ämari Air Base lies in Estonia’s Harju County, four miles south of Lake Klooga. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union it was home to several squadrons of Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer medium bombers.<br />
But since April 2014, the facility has hosted a detachment of Danish F-16 fighter jets, tasked with NATO’s mission to defend the airspace of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.<br />
Meanwhile, in the base’s woodland cemetery rest the bodies of Soviet pilots killed on active service, some of their graves marked by the tail fins of Russian-built combat aircraft against which, ironically, the base is defended today.<br />
©Modris Putns/Exclusivepix Media
    Exclusivepix_Plane_Tail_Graves5.jpg
  • Ämari Pilots’ Cemetery: The Woodland Graves of Deceased Soviet Flyers<br />
<br />
In September 2010 the 9,000-foot runway at Ämari Air Base in Estonia was relaid in a bid to transition the former Warsaw Pact airfield to NATO use. But echoes of its Soviet days abound across the site, nowhere more poignant than the unusual Ämari pilots’ cemetery, which lies in woodland south of the airfield.<br />
Originally called Suurküla, Ämari Air Base lies in Estonia’s Harju County, four miles south of Lake Klooga. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union it was home to several squadrons of Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer medium bombers.<br />
But since April 2014, the facility has hosted a detachment of Danish F-16 fighter jets, tasked with NATO’s mission to defend the airspace of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.<br />
Meanwhile, in the base’s woodland cemetery rest the bodies of Soviet pilots killed on active service, some of their graves marked by the tail fins of Russian-built combat aircraft against which, ironically, the base is defended today.<br />
©Modris Putns/Exclusivepix Media
    Exclusivepix_Plane_Tail_Graves6.jpg
  • The hi-tech Crimean facility that was intended to help the Russians put men on the moon... by telling them whether its surface was rock or quicksand<br />
<br />
At the height of the Cold War the Soviet Union, flush with the success of putting the first man into space, turned its gaze towards landing a cosmonaut on the moon ahead of the Americans.<br />
But a huge mystery faced the Communist nation's scientists - whether the moon's surface was comprised of a layer of loose dust or completely solid.<br />
To solve the question, the Gorky Research Institute of Radio Physics constructed an artificial 'moon' at the top of the Balaly Kai mountain in the Crimea region of Ukraine.<br />
A radio telescope was installed at the foot of the mountain and was used to compare radio emissions from the moon using the artificial moon - a five metre black disc covered with carbon foam - eventually leading to the discovery that the moon had a hard surface.<br />
Although the Russians never reached the moon, the station was then used to calculate the absolute temperatures of Jupiter, probe the Cassiopeia, Taurus, and Cygnus constellations, and also to study of the surface of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.<br />
Today it is abandoned, but has partially survived because it is in a nature reserve and was therefore not cut into scrap metal. These pictures, taken by Russian photographer Sergey Anashkevitch, chronicle what remains of a bold era in Soviet space exploration.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_Abandoned_lunar_station...jpg
  • Ämari Pilots’ Cemetery: The Woodland Graves of Deceased Soviet Flyers<br />
<br />
In September 2010 the 9,000-foot runway at Ämari Air Base in Estonia was relaid in a bid to transition the former Warsaw Pact airfield to NATO use. But echoes of its Soviet days abound across the site, nowhere more poignant than the unusual Ämari pilots’ cemetery, which lies in woodland south of the airfield.<br />
Originally called Suurküla, Ämari Air Base lies in Estonia’s Harju County, four miles south of Lake Klooga. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union it was home to several squadrons of Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer medium bombers.<br />
But since April 2014, the facility has hosted a detachment of Danish F-16 fighter jets, tasked with NATO’s mission to defend the airspace of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.<br />
Meanwhile, in the base’s woodland cemetery rest the bodies of Soviet pilots killed on active service, some of their graves marked by the tail fins of Russian-built combat aircraft against which, ironically, the base is defended today.<br />
©Exclusivepix Media
    Exclusivepix_Plane_Tail_Graves1.jpg
  • Ämari Pilots’ Cemetery: The Woodland Graves of Deceased Soviet Flyers<br />
<br />
In September 2010 the 9,000-foot runway at Ämari Air Base in Estonia was relaid in a bid to transition the former Warsaw Pact airfield to NATO use. But echoes of its Soviet days abound across the site, nowhere more poignant than the unusual Ämari pilots’ cemetery, which lies in woodland south of the airfield.<br />
Originally called Suurküla, Ämari Air Base lies in Estonia’s Harju County, four miles south of Lake Klooga. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union it was home to several squadrons of Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer medium bombers.<br />
But since April 2014, the facility has hosted a detachment of Danish F-16 fighter jets, tasked with NATO’s mission to defend the airspace of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.<br />
Meanwhile, in the base’s woodland cemetery rest the bodies of Soviet pilots killed on active service, some of their graves marked by the tail fins of Russian-built combat aircraft against which, ironically, the base is defended today.<br />
©Exclusivepix Media
    Exclusivepix_Plane_Tail_Graves2.jpg
  • The hi-tech Crimean facility that was intended to help the Russians put men on the moon... by telling them whether its surface was rock or quicksand<br />
<br />
At the height of the Cold War the Soviet Union, flush with the success of putting the first man into space, turned its gaze towards landing a cosmonaut on the moon ahead of the Americans.<br />
But a huge mystery faced the Communist nation's scientists - whether the moon's surface was comprised of a layer of loose dust or completely solid.<br />
To solve the question, the Gorky Research Institute of Radio Physics constructed an artificial 'moon' at the top of the Balaly Kai mountain in the Crimea region of Ukraine.<br />
A radio telescope was installed at the foot of the mountain and was used to compare radio emissions from the moon using the artificial moon - a five metre black disc covered with carbon foam - eventually leading to the discovery that the moon had a hard surface.<br />
Although the Russians never reached the moon, the station was then used to calculate the absolute temperatures of Jupiter, probe the Cassiopeia, Taurus, and Cygnus constellations, and also to study of the surface of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.<br />
Today it is abandoned, but has partially survived because it is in a nature reserve and was therefore not cut into scrap metal. These pictures, taken by Russian photographer Sergey Anashkevitch, chronicle what remains of a bold era in Soviet space exploration.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_Abandoned_lunar_station...jpg
  • The hi-tech Crimean facility that was intended to help the Russians put men on the moon... by telling them whether its surface was rock or quicksand<br />
<br />
At the height of the Cold War the Soviet Union, flush with the success of putting the first man into space, turned its gaze towards landing a cosmonaut on the moon ahead of the Americans.<br />
But a huge mystery faced the Communist nation's scientists - whether the moon's surface was comprised of a layer of loose dust or completely solid.<br />
To solve the question, the Gorky Research Institute of Radio Physics constructed an artificial 'moon' at the top of the Balaly Kai mountain in the Crimea region of Ukraine.<br />
A radio telescope was installed at the foot of the mountain and was used to compare radio emissions from the moon using the artificial moon - a five metre black disc covered with carbon foam - eventually leading to the discovery that the moon had a hard surface.<br />
Although the Russians never reached the moon, the station was then used to calculate the absolute temperatures of Jupiter, probe the Cassiopeia, Taurus, and Cygnus constellations, and also to study of the surface of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.<br />
Today it is abandoned, but has partially survived because it is in a nature reserve and was therefore not cut into scrap metal. These pictures, taken by Russian photographer Sergey Anashkevitch, chronicle what remains of a bold era in Soviet space exploration.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_Abandoned_lunar_station...jpg
  • The hi-tech Crimean facility that was intended to help the Russians put men on the moon... by telling them whether its surface was rock or quicksand<br />
<br />
At the height of the Cold War the Soviet Union, flush with the success of putting the first man into space, turned its gaze towards landing a cosmonaut on the moon ahead of the Americans.<br />
But a huge mystery faced the Communist nation's scientists - whether the moon's surface was comprised of a layer of loose dust or completely solid.<br />
To solve the question, the Gorky Research Institute of Radio Physics constructed an artificial 'moon' at the top of the Balaly Kai mountain in the Crimea region of Ukraine.<br />
A radio telescope was installed at the foot of the mountain and was used to compare radio emissions from the moon using the artificial moon - a five metre black disc covered with carbon foam - eventually leading to the discovery that the moon had a hard surface.<br />
Although the Russians never reached the moon, the station was then used to calculate the absolute temperatures of Jupiter, probe the Cassiopeia, Taurus, and Cygnus constellations, and also to study of the surface of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.<br />
Today it is abandoned, but has partially survived because it is in a nature reserve and was therefore not cut into scrap metal. These pictures, taken by Russian photographer Sergey Anashkevitch, chronicle what remains of a bold era in Soviet space exploration.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_Abandoned_lunar_station...jpg
  • The hi-tech Crimean facility that was intended to help the Russians put men on the moon... by telling them whether its surface was rock or quicksand<br />
<br />
At the height of the Cold War the Soviet Union, flush with the success of putting the first man into space, turned its gaze towards landing a cosmonaut on the moon ahead of the Americans.<br />
But a huge mystery faced the Communist nation's scientists - whether the moon's surface was comprised of a layer of loose dust or completely solid.<br />
To solve the question, the Gorky Research Institute of Radio Physics constructed an artificial 'moon' at the top of the Balaly Kai mountain in the Crimea region of Ukraine.<br />
A radio telescope was installed at the foot of the mountain and was used to compare radio emissions from the moon using the artificial moon - a five metre black disc covered with carbon foam - eventually leading to the discovery that the moon had a hard surface.<br />
Although the Russians never reached the moon, the station was then used to calculate the absolute temperatures of Jupiter, probe the Cassiopeia, Taurus, and Cygnus constellations, and also to study of the surface of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.<br />
Today it is abandoned, but has partially survived because it is in a nature reserve and was therefore not cut into scrap metal. These pictures, taken by Russian photographer Sergey Anashkevitch, chronicle what remains of a bold era in Soviet space exploration.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_Abandoned_lunar_station...jpg
  • The hi-tech Crimean facility that was intended to help the Russians put men on the moon... by telling them whether its surface was rock or quicksand<br />
<br />
At the height of the Cold War the Soviet Union, flush with the success of putting the first man into space, turned its gaze towards landing a cosmonaut on the moon ahead of the Americans.<br />
But a huge mystery faced the Communist nation's scientists - whether the moon's surface was comprised of a layer of loose dust or completely solid.<br />
To solve the question, the Gorky Research Institute of Radio Physics constructed an artificial 'moon' at the top of the Balaly Kai mountain in the Crimea region of Ukraine.<br />
A radio telescope was installed at the foot of the mountain and was used to compare radio emissions from the moon using the artificial moon - a five metre black disc covered with carbon foam - eventually leading to the discovery that the moon had a hard surface.<br />
Although the Russians never reached the moon, the station was then used to calculate the absolute temperatures of Jupiter, probe the Cassiopeia, Taurus, and Cygnus constellations, and also to study of the surface of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.<br />
Today it is abandoned, but has partially survived because it is in a nature reserve and was therefore not cut into scrap metal. These pictures, taken by Russian photographer Sergey Anashkevitch, chronicle what remains of a bold era in Soviet space exploration.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_Abandoned_lunar_station...jpg
  • The hi-tech Crimean facility that was intended to help the Russians put men on the moon... by telling them whether its surface was rock or quicksand<br />
<br />
At the height of the Cold War the Soviet Union, flush with the success of putting the first man into space, turned its gaze towards landing a cosmonaut on the moon ahead of the Americans.<br />
But a huge mystery faced the Communist nation's scientists - whether the moon's surface was comprised of a layer of loose dust or completely solid.<br />
To solve the question, the Gorky Research Institute of Radio Physics constructed an artificial 'moon' at the top of the Balaly Kai mountain in the Crimea region of Ukraine.<br />
A radio telescope was installed at the foot of the mountain and was used to compare radio emissions from the moon using the artificial moon - a five metre black disc covered with carbon foam - eventually leading to the discovery that the moon had a hard surface.<br />
Although the Russians never reached the moon, the station was then used to calculate the absolute temperatures of Jupiter, probe the Cassiopeia, Taurus, and Cygnus constellations, and also to study of the surface of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.<br />
Today it is abandoned, but has partially survived because it is in a nature reserve and was therefore not cut into scrap metal. These pictures, taken by Russian photographer Sergey Anashkevitch, chronicle what remains of a bold era in Soviet space exploration.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_Abandoned_lunar_station...jpg
  • The hi-tech Crimean facility that was intended to help the Russians put men on the moon... by telling them whether its surface was rock or quicksand<br />
<br />
At the height of the Cold War the Soviet Union, flush with the success of putting the first man into space, turned its gaze towards landing a cosmonaut on the moon ahead of the Americans.<br />
But a huge mystery faced the Communist nation's scientists - whether the moon's surface was comprised of a layer of loose dust or completely solid.<br />
To solve the question, the Gorky Research Institute of Radio Physics constructed an artificial 'moon' at the top of the Balaly Kai mountain in the Crimea region of Ukraine.<br />
A radio telescope was installed at the foot of the mountain and was used to compare radio emissions from the moon using the artificial moon - a five metre black disc covered with carbon foam - eventually leading to the discovery that the moon had a hard surface.<br />
Although the Russians never reached the moon, the station was then used to calculate the absolute temperatures of Jupiter, probe the Cassiopeia, Taurus, and Cygnus constellations, and also to study of the surface of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.<br />
Today it is abandoned, but has partially survived because it is in a nature reserve and was therefore not cut into scrap metal. These pictures, taken by Russian photographer Sergey Anashkevitch, chronicle what remains of a bold era in Soviet space exploration.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_Abandoned_lunar_station...jpg
  • The hi-tech Crimean facility that was intended to help the Russians put men on the moon... by telling them whether its surface was rock or quicksand<br />
<br />
At the height of the Cold War the Soviet Union, flush with the success of putting the first man into space, turned its gaze towards landing a cosmonaut on the moon ahead of the Americans.<br />
But a huge mystery faced the Communist nation's scientists - whether the moon's surface was comprised of a layer of loose dust or completely solid.<br />
To solve the question, the Gorky Research Institute of Radio Physics constructed an artificial 'moon' at the top of the Balaly Kai mountain in the Crimea region of Ukraine.<br />
A radio telescope was installed at the foot of the mountain and was used to compare radio emissions from the moon using the artificial moon - a five metre black disc covered with carbon foam - eventually leading to the discovery that the moon had a hard surface.<br />
Although the Russians never reached the moon, the station was then used to calculate the absolute temperatures of Jupiter, probe the Cassiopeia, Taurus, and Cygnus constellations, and also to study of the surface of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.<br />
Today it is abandoned, but has partially survived because it is in a nature reserve and was therefore not cut into scrap metal. These pictures, taken by Russian photographer Sergey Anashkevitch, chronicle what remains of a bold era in Soviet space exploration.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_Abandoned_lunar_station...jpg
  • The hi-tech Crimean facility that was intended to help the Russians put men on the moon... by telling them whether its surface was rock or quicksand<br />
<br />
At the height of the Cold War the Soviet Union, flush with the success of putting the first man into space, turned its gaze towards landing a cosmonaut on the moon ahead of the Americans.<br />
But a huge mystery faced the Communist nation's scientists - whether the moon's surface was comprised of a layer of loose dust or completely solid.<br />
To solve the question, the Gorky Research Institute of Radio Physics constructed an artificial 'moon' at the top of the Balaly Kai mountain in the Crimea region of Ukraine.<br />
A radio telescope was installed at the foot of the mountain and was used to compare radio emissions from the moon using the artificial moon - a five metre black disc covered with carbon foam - eventually leading to the discovery that the moon had a hard surface.<br />
Although the Russians never reached the moon, the station was then used to calculate the absolute temperatures of Jupiter, probe the Cassiopeia, Taurus, and Cygnus constellations, and also to study of the surface of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.<br />
Today it is abandoned, but has partially survived because it is in a nature reserve and was therefore not cut into scrap metal. These pictures, taken by Russian photographer Sergey Anashkevitch, chronicle what remains of a bold era in Soviet space exploration.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_Abandoned_lunar_station...jpg
  • The hi-tech Crimean facility that was intended to help the Russians put men on the moon... by telling them whether its surface was rock or quicksand<br />
<br />
At the height of the Cold War the Soviet Union, flush with the success of putting the first man into space, turned its gaze towards landing a cosmonaut on the moon ahead of the Americans.<br />
But a huge mystery faced the Communist nation's scientists - whether the moon's surface was comprised of a layer of loose dust or completely solid.<br />
To solve the question, the Gorky Research Institute of Radio Physics constructed an artificial 'moon' at the top of the Balaly Kai mountain in the Crimea region of Ukraine.<br />
A radio telescope was installed at the foot of the mountain and was used to compare radio emissions from the moon using the artificial moon - a five metre black disc covered with carbon foam - eventually leading to the discovery that the moon had a hard surface.<br />
Although the Russians never reached the moon, the station was then used to calculate the absolute temperatures of Jupiter, probe the Cassiopeia, Taurus, and Cygnus constellations, and also to study of the surface of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.<br />
Today it is abandoned, but has partially survived because it is in a nature reserve and was therefore not cut into scrap metal. These pictures, taken by Russian photographer Sergey Anashkevitch, chronicle what remains of a bold era in Soviet space exploration.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_Abandoned_lunar_station...jpg
  • The hi-tech Crimean facility that was intended to help the Russians put men on the moon... by telling them whether its surface was rock or quicksand<br />
<br />
At the height of the Cold War the Soviet Union, flush with the success of putting the first man into space, turned its gaze towards landing a cosmonaut on the moon ahead of the Americans.<br />
But a huge mystery faced the Communist nation's scientists - whether the moon's surface was comprised of a layer of loose dust or completely solid.<br />
To solve the question, the Gorky Research Institute of Radio Physics constructed an artificial 'moon' at the top of the Balaly Kai mountain in the Crimea region of Ukraine.<br />
A radio telescope was installed at the foot of the mountain and was used to compare radio emissions from the moon using the artificial moon - a five metre black disc covered with carbon foam - eventually leading to the discovery that the moon had a hard surface.<br />
Although the Russians never reached the moon, the station was then used to calculate the absolute temperatures of Jupiter, probe the Cassiopeia, Taurus, and Cygnus constellations, and also to study of the surface of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.<br />
Today it is abandoned, but has partially survived because it is in a nature reserve and was therefore not cut into scrap metal. These pictures, taken by Russian photographer Sergey Anashkevitch, chronicle what remains of a bold era in Soviet space exploration.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_Abandoned_lunar_station...jpg
  • The hi-tech Crimean facility that was intended to help the Russians put men on the moon... by telling them whether its surface was rock or quicksand<br />
<br />
At the height of the Cold War the Soviet Union, flush with the success of putting the first man into space, turned its gaze towards landing a cosmonaut on the moon ahead of the Americans.<br />
But a huge mystery faced the Communist nation's scientists - whether the moon's surface was comprised of a layer of loose dust or completely solid.<br />
To solve the question, the Gorky Research Institute of Radio Physics constructed an artificial 'moon' at the top of the Balaly Kai mountain in the Crimea region of Ukraine.<br />
A radio telescope was installed at the foot of the mountain and was used to compare radio emissions from the moon using the artificial moon - a five metre black disc covered with carbon foam - eventually leading to the discovery that the moon had a hard surface.<br />
Although the Russians never reached the moon, the station was then used to calculate the absolute temperatures of Jupiter, probe the Cassiopeia, Taurus, and Cygnus constellations, and also to study of the surface of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.<br />
Today it is abandoned, but has partially survived because it is in a nature reserve and was therefore not cut into scrap metal. These pictures, taken by Russian photographer Sergey Anashkevitch, chronicle what remains of a bold era in Soviet space exploration.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_Abandoned_lunar_station...jpg
  • The hi-tech Crimean facility that was intended to help the Russians put men on the moon... by telling them whether its surface was rock or quicksand<br />
<br />
At the height of the Cold War the Soviet Union, flush with the success of putting the first man into space, turned its gaze towards landing a cosmonaut on the moon ahead of the Americans.<br />
But a huge mystery faced the Communist nation's scientists - whether the moon's surface was comprised of a layer of loose dust or completely solid.<br />
To solve the question, the Gorky Research Institute of Radio Physics constructed an artificial 'moon' at the top of the Balaly Kai mountain in the Crimea region of Ukraine.<br />
A radio telescope was installed at the foot of the mountain and was used to compare radio emissions from the moon using the artificial moon - a five metre black disc covered with carbon foam - eventually leading to the discovery that the moon had a hard surface.<br />
Although the Russians never reached the moon, the station was then used to calculate the absolute temperatures of Jupiter, probe the Cassiopeia, Taurus, and Cygnus constellations, and also to study of the surface of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.<br />
Today it is abandoned, but has partially survived because it is in a nature reserve and was therefore not cut into scrap metal. These pictures, taken by Russian photographer Sergey Anashkevitch, chronicle what remains of a bold era in Soviet space exploration.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_Abandoned_lunar_station...jpg
  • The hi-tech Crimean facility that was intended to help the Russians put men on the moon... by telling them whether its surface was rock or quicksand<br />
<br />
At the height of the Cold War the Soviet Union, flush with the success of putting the first man into space, turned its gaze towards landing a cosmonaut on the moon ahead of the Americans.<br />
But a huge mystery faced the Communist nation's scientists - whether the moon's surface was comprised of a layer of loose dust or completely solid.<br />
To solve the question, the Gorky Research Institute of Radio Physics constructed an artificial 'moon' at the top of the Balaly Kai mountain in the Crimea region of Ukraine.<br />
A radio telescope was installed at the foot of the mountain and was used to compare radio emissions from the moon using the artificial moon - a five metre black disc covered with carbon foam - eventually leading to the discovery that the moon had a hard surface.<br />
Although the Russians never reached the moon, the station was then used to calculate the absolute temperatures of Jupiter, probe the Cassiopeia, Taurus, and Cygnus constellations, and also to study of the surface of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.<br />
Today it is abandoned, but has partially survived because it is in a nature reserve and was therefore not cut into scrap metal. These pictures, taken by Russian photographer Sergey Anashkevitch, chronicle what remains of a bold era in Soviet space exploration.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_Abandoned_lunar_station...jpg
  • Stunning images of the Abandoned political prison in Croatia <br />
<br />
Goli otok  meaning "barren island"; is a barren, uninhabited island that was the site of a political prison in use when Croatia was part of Yugoslavia. The prison was in operation between 1949 and 1989. The island is located in the northern Adriatic Sea just off the coast of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Croatia with an area of approximately 4 square kilometers (1.54 square miles).<br />
<br />
Despite having long been an occasional grazing ground for local shepherds' flocks, the barren island was apparently never permanently settled other than during the 20th century. Throughout World War I, Austria-Hungary sent Russian prisoners of war from the Eastern Front to Goli otok.<br />
Goli otok seen from the mainland<br />
<br />
In 1949, the entire island was officially made into a high-security, top secret prison and labor camp run by the authorities of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, together with the nearby Sveti Grgur island, which held a similar camp for female prisoners. Until 1956, throughout the Informbiro period, it was used to incarcerate political prisoners. These included known and alleged Stalinists, but also other Communist Party of Yugoslavia members or even non-party citizens accused of exhibiting sympathy or leanings towards the Soviet Union. Many anticommunist (Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Albanian and other nationalists etc.) were also incarcerated on Goli otok. Non-political prisoners were also sent to the island to serve out simple criminal sentences and some of them were sentenced to death. A total of approximately 16,000 political prisoners served there, of which between 400 and 600 died on the island.<br />
<br />
The prison inmates were forced to labor (in a stone quarry, pottery and joinery), without regard to the weather conditions: in the summer the temperature would rise as high as 35 to 40 °C (95 to 104 °F), while in the winter they were subjected to the chilling bura wind and freezing temperatures. In
    ExPix_Stunning_images_Abandoned_poli...jpg
  • There is a top-secret military plant called "Hydropribor", located in South-East Crimea. This facility used to produce underwater weapons systems such as torpedoes, mines, etc. Only a very few knew about existence of this place, even in the neighboring city of Feodosia.<br />
<br />
After break up of Soviet Union in the early 90's "Hydropribor" had stopped getting government procurement and had it closed, its classification had been removed.<br />
<br />
Nowadays this facility is abandoned, it's territory totally neglected, but there are still a few buildings left. One of them was a hospital for plant's employes. This hospital is in the same condition now as it was more than 20 years ago.<br />
<br />
Now this building boarded up, but if you get inside, you can see abandoned medical records, dentist tools and dentures, doctor’s offices and… outstanding Black Sea view out of window.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_military_plant_abandone...jpg
  • Where Cargo Ships Go To Die <br />
<br />
Muynak is a city in northern Karakalpakstan in western Uzbekistan. Home to only a few thousand residents at most, Muynak's population has been declining precipitously since the 1980s due to the recession of the Aral Sea.<br />
<br />
Once a bustling fishing community, Muynak is now a shadow of its former self, dozens of miles from the rapidly receding shoreline of the Aral Sea. Fishing had always been part of the economy of the region, and Muynak became a center of industrial fishing and canning. A regional agricultural monoculture dominated by cotton production which diverts water from tributary rivers of the sea into irrigation, and severe pollution caused by agricultural chemical runoff, are causing the sea to evaporate and the water that remains is highly saline and very toxic, causing the ecological disaster which is inevitably destroying the sea and killing the residents of the towns in its vicinity, including Muynak.<br />
<br />
Muynak is now home to a incongruous armada of rusting hulks that once made up the proud fishing fleet during the Soviet era. Poisonous dust storms kicked up by strong winds across the dried and polluted seabed give rise to a multitude of chronic and acute illnesses among the few residents, weather unmoderated by the sea now buffets the town with hotter-than-normal summers and colder-than-normal winters.<br />
<br />
The Aral Sea was once the world's fourth-largest saline body of water, it has been steadily shrinking since the 1960s, after the rivers that fed it were diverted by Soviet Union irrigation projects. By 2004, the sea had shrunk to 25% of its original surface area, and a nearly fivefold increase in salinity had killed most of its natural flora and fauna. By 2007 it had declined to 10% of its original size, splitting into three separate lakes, two of which are too salty to support fish. The once prosperous fishing industry has been virtually destroyed, and former fishing towns along the original shores have become ship graveyards.
    Exclusivepix_Where_Cargo_Ships_Go_To...jpg
  • Where Cargo Ships Go To Die <br />
<br />
Muynak is a city in northern Karakalpakstan in western Uzbekistan. Home to only a few thousand residents at most, Muynak's population has been declining precipitously since the 1980s due to the recession of the Aral Sea.<br />
<br />
Once a bustling fishing community, Muynak is now a shadow of its former self, dozens of miles from the rapidly receding shoreline of the Aral Sea. Fishing had always been part of the economy of the region, and Muynak became a center of industrial fishing and canning. A regional agricultural monoculture dominated by cotton production which diverts water from tributary rivers of the sea into irrigation, and severe pollution caused by agricultural chemical runoff, are causing the sea to evaporate and the water that remains is highly saline and very toxic, causing the ecological disaster which is inevitably destroying the sea and killing the residents of the towns in its vicinity, including Muynak.<br />
<br />
Muynak is now home to a incongruous armada of rusting hulks that once made up the proud fishing fleet during the Soviet era. Poisonous dust storms kicked up by strong winds across the dried and polluted seabed give rise to a multitude of chronic and acute illnesses among the few residents, weather unmoderated by the sea now buffets the town with hotter-than-normal summers and colder-than-normal winters.<br />
<br />
The Aral Sea was once the world's fourth-largest saline body of water, it has been steadily shrinking since the 1960s, after the rivers that fed it were diverted by Soviet Union irrigation projects. By 2004, the sea had shrunk to 25% of its original surface area, and a nearly fivefold increase in salinity had killed most of its natural flora and fauna. By 2007 it had declined to 10% of its original size, splitting into three separate lakes, two of which are too salty to support fish. The once prosperous fishing industry has been virtually destroyed, and former fishing towns along the original shores have become ship graveyards.
    Exclusivepix_Where_Cargo_Ships_Go_To...jpg
  • Where Cargo Ships Go To Die<br />
<br />
Muynak is a city in northern Karakalpakstan in western Uzbekistan. Home to only a few thousand residents at most, Muynak's population has been declining precipitously since the 1980s due to the recession of the Aral Sea.<br />
<br />
Once a bustling fishing community, Muynak is now a shadow of its former self, dozens of miles from the rapidly receding shoreline of the Aral Sea. Fishing had always been part of the economy of the region, and Muynak became a center of industrial fishing and canning. A regional agricultural monoculture dominated by cotton production which diverts water from tributary rivers of the sea into irrigation, and severe pollution caused by agricultural chemical runoff, are causing the sea to evaporate and the water that remains is highly saline and very toxic, causing the ecological disaster which is inevitably destroying the sea and killing the residents of the towns in its vicinity, including Muynak.<br />
<br />
Muynak is now home to a incongruous armada of rusting hulks that once made up the proud fishing fleet during the Soviet era. Poisonous dust storms kicked up by strong winds across the dried and polluted seabed give rise to a multitude of chronic and acute illnesses among the few residents, weather unmoderated by the sea now buffets the town with hotter-than-normal summers and colder-than-normal winters.<br />
<br />
The Aral Sea was once the world's fourth-largest saline body of water, it has been steadily shrinking since the 1960s, after the rivers that fed it were diverted by Soviet Union irrigation projects. By 2004, the sea had shrunk to 25% of its original surface area, and a nearly fivefold increase in salinity had killed most of its natural flora and fauna. By 2007 it had declined to 10% of its original size, splitting into three separate lakes, two of which are too salty to support fish. The once prosperous fishing industry has been virtually destroyed, and former fishing towns along the original shores have become ship graveyards.
    Exclusivepix_Where_Cargo_Ships_Go_To...jpg
  • Where Cargo Ships Go To Die <br />
<br />
Muynak is a city in northern Karakalpakstan in western Uzbekistan. Home to only a few thousand residents at most, Muynak's population has been declining precipitously since the 1980s due to the recession of the Aral Sea.<br />
<br />
Once a bustling fishing community, Muynak is now a shadow of its former self, dozens of miles from the rapidly receding shoreline of the Aral Sea. Fishing had always been part of the economy of the region, and Muynak became a center of industrial fishing and canning. A regional agricultural monoculture dominated by cotton production which diverts water from tributary rivers of the sea into irrigation, and severe pollution caused by agricultural chemical runoff, are causing the sea to evaporate and the water that remains is highly saline and very toxic, causing the ecological disaster which is inevitably destroying the sea and killing the residents of the towns in its vicinity, including Muynak.<br />
<br />
Muynak is now home to a incongruous armada of rusting hulks that once made up the proud fishing fleet during the Soviet era. Poisonous dust storms kicked up by strong winds across the dried and polluted seabed give rise to a multitude of chronic and acute illnesses among the few residents, weather unmoderated by the sea now buffets the town with hotter-than-normal summers and colder-than-normal winters.<br />
<br />
The Aral Sea was once the world's fourth-largest saline body of water, it has been steadily shrinking since the 1960s, after the rivers that fed it were diverted by Soviet Union irrigation projects. By 2004, the sea had shrunk to 25% of its original surface area, and a nearly fivefold increase in salinity had killed most of its natural flora and fauna. By 2007 it had declined to 10% of its original size, splitting into three separate lakes, two of which are too salty to support fish. The once prosperous fishing industry has been virtually destroyed, and former fishing towns along the original shores have become ship graveyards.
    Exclusivepix_Where_Cargo_Ships_Go_To...jpg
  • There is a top-secret military plant called "Hydropribor", located in South-East Crimea. This facility used to produce underwater weapons systems such as torpedoes, mines, etc. Only a very few knew about existence of this place, even in the neighboring city of Feodosia.<br />
<br />
After break up of Soviet Union in the early 90's "Hydropribor" had stopped getting government procurement and had it closed, its classification had been removed.<br />
<br />
Nowadays this facility is abandoned, it's territory totally neglected, but there are still a few buildings left. One of them was a hospital for plant's employes. This hospital is in the same condition now as it was more than 20 years ago.<br />
<br />
Now this building boarded up, but if you get inside, you can see abandoned medical records, dentist tools and dentures, doctor’s offices and… outstanding Black Sea view out of window.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_military_plant_abandone...jpg
  • There is a top-secret military plant called "Hydropribor", located in South-East Crimea. This facility used to produce underwater weapons systems such as torpedoes, mines, etc. Only a very few knew about existence of this place, even in the neighboring city of Feodosia.<br />
<br />
After break up of Soviet Union in the early 90's "Hydropribor" had stopped getting government procurement and had it closed, its classification had been removed.<br />
<br />
Nowadays this facility is abandoned, it's territory totally neglected, but there are still a few buildings left. One of them was a hospital for plant's employes. This hospital is in the same condition now as it was more than 20 years ago.<br />
<br />
Now this building boarded up, but if you get inside, you can see abandoned medical records, dentist tools and dentures, doctor’s offices and… outstanding Black Sea view out of window.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_military_plant_abandone...jpg
  • There is a top-secret military plant called "Hydropribor", located in South-East Crimea. This facility used to produce underwater weapons systems such as torpedoes, mines, etc. Only a very few knew about existence of this place, even in the neighboring city of Feodosia.<br />
<br />
After break up of Soviet Union in the early 90's "Hydropribor" had stopped getting government procurement and had it closed, its classification had been removed.<br />
<br />
Nowadays this facility is abandoned, it's territory totally neglected, but there are still a few buildings left. One of them was a hospital for plant's employes. This hospital is in the same condition now as it was more than 20 years ago.<br />
<br />
Now this building boarded up, but if you get inside, you can see abandoned medical records, dentist tools and dentures, doctor’s offices and… outstanding Black Sea view out of window.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_military_plant_abandone...jpg
  • There is a top-secret military plant called "Hydropribor", located in South-East Crimea. This facility used to produce underwater weapons systems such as torpedoes, mines, etc. Only a very few knew about existence of this place, even in the neighboring city of Feodosia.<br />
<br />
After break up of Soviet Union in the early 90's "Hydropribor" had stopped getting government procurement and had it closed, its classification had been removed.<br />
<br />
Nowadays this facility is abandoned, it's territory totally neglected, but there are still a few buildings left. One of them was a hospital for plant's employes. This hospital is in the same condition now as it was more than 20 years ago.<br />
<br />
Now this building boarded up, but if you get inside, you can see abandoned medical records, dentist tools and dentures, doctor’s offices and… outstanding Black Sea view out of window.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_military_plant_abandone...jpg
  • There is a top-secret military plant called "Hydropribor", located in South-East Crimea. This facility used to produce underwater weapons systems such as torpedoes, mines, etc. Only a very few knew about existence of this place, even in the neighboring city of Feodosia.<br />
<br />
After break up of Soviet Union in the early 90's "Hydropribor" had stopped getting government procurement and had it closed, its classification had been removed.<br />
<br />
Nowadays this facility is abandoned, it's territory totally neglected, but there are still a few buildings left. One of them was a hospital for plant's employes. This hospital is in the same condition now as it was more than 20 years ago.<br />
<br />
Now this building boarded up, but if you get inside, you can see abandoned medical records, dentist tools and dentures, doctor’s offices and… outstanding Black Sea view out of window.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_military_plant_abandone...jpg
  • There is a top-secret military plant called "Hydropribor", located in South-East Crimea. This facility used to produce underwater weapons systems such as torpedoes, mines, etc. Only a very few knew about existence of this place, even in the neighboring city of Feodosia.<br />
<br />
After break up of Soviet Union in the early 90's "Hydropribor" had stopped getting government procurement and had it closed, its classification had been removed.<br />
<br />
Nowadays this facility is abandoned, it's territory totally neglected, but there are still a few buildings left. One of them was a hospital for plant's employes. This hospital is in the same condition now as it was more than 20 years ago.<br />
<br />
Now this building boarded up, but if you get inside, you can see abandoned medical records, dentist tools and dentures, doctor’s offices and… outstanding Black Sea view out of window.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_military_plant_abandone...jpg
  • There is a top-secret military plant called "Hydropribor", located in South-East Crimea. This facility used to produce underwater weapons systems such as torpedoes, mines, etc. Only a very few knew about existence of this place, even in the neighboring city of Feodosia.<br />
<br />
After break up of Soviet Union in the early 90's "Hydropribor" had stopped getting government procurement and had it closed, its classification had been removed.<br />
<br />
Nowadays this facility is abandoned, it's territory totally neglected, but there are still a few buildings left. One of them was a hospital for plant's employes. This hospital is in the same condition now as it was more than 20 years ago.<br />
<br />
Now this building boarded up, but if you get inside, you can see abandoned medical records, dentist tools and dentures, doctor’s offices and… outstanding Black Sea view out of window.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_military_plant_abandone...jpg
  • There is a top-secret military plant called "Hydropribor", located in South-East Crimea. This facility used to produce underwater weapons systems such as torpedoes, mines, etc. Only a very few knew about existence of this place, even in the neighboring city of Feodosia.<br />
<br />
After break up of Soviet Union in the early 90's "Hydropribor" had stopped getting government procurement and had it closed, its classification had been removed.<br />
<br />
Nowadays this facility is abandoned, it's territory totally neglected, but there are still a few buildings left. One of them was a hospital for plant's employes. This hospital is in the same condition now as it was more than 20 years ago.<br />
<br />
Now this building boarded up, but if you get inside, you can see abandoned medical records, dentist tools and dentures, doctor’s offices and… outstanding Black Sea view out of window.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_military_plant_abandone...jpg
  • There is a top-secret military plant called "Hydropribor", located in South-East Crimea. This facility used to produce underwater weapons systems such as torpedoes, mines, etc. Only a very few knew about existence of this place, even in the neighboring city of Feodosia.<br />
<br />
After break up of Soviet Union in the early 90's "Hydropribor" had stopped getting government procurement and had it closed, its classification had been removed.<br />
<br />
Nowadays this facility is abandoned, it's territory totally neglected, but there are still a few buildings left. One of them was a hospital for plant's employes. This hospital is in the same condition now as it was more than 20 years ago.<br />
<br />
Now this building boarded up, but if you get inside, you can see abandoned medical records, dentist tools and dentures, doctor’s offices and… outstanding Black Sea view out of window.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_military_plant_abandone...jpg
  • There is a top-secret military plant called "Hydropribor", located in South-East Crimea. This facility used to produce underwater weapons systems such as torpedoes, mines, etc. Only a very few knew about existence of this place, even in the neighboring city of Feodosia.<br />
<br />
After break up of Soviet Union in the early 90's "Hydropribor" had stopped getting government procurement and had it closed, its classification had been removed.<br />
<br />
Nowadays this facility is abandoned, it's territory totally neglected, but there are still a few buildings left. One of them was a hospital for plant's employes. This hospital is in the same condition now as it was more than 20 years ago.<br />
<br />
Now this building boarded up, but if you get inside, you can see abandoned medical records, dentist tools and dentures, doctor’s offices and… outstanding Black Sea view out of window.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_military_plant_abandone...jpg
  • Where Cargo Ships Go To Die <br />
<br />
Muynak is a city in northern Karakalpakstan in western Uzbekistan. Home to only a few thousand residents at most, Muynak's population has been declining precipitously since the 1980s due to the recession of the Aral Sea.<br />
<br />
Once a bustling fishing community, Muynak is now a shadow of its former self, dozens of miles from the rapidly receding shoreline of the Aral Sea. Fishing had always been part of the economy of the region, and Muynak became a center of industrial fishing and canning. A regional agricultural monoculture dominated by cotton production which diverts water from tributary rivers of the sea into irrigation, and severe pollution caused by agricultural chemical runoff, are causing the sea to evaporate and the water that remains is highly saline and very toxic, causing the ecological disaster which is inevitably destroying the sea and killing the residents of the towns in its vicinity, including Muynak.<br />
<br />
Muynak is now home to a incongruous armada of rusting hulks that once made up the proud fishing fleet during the Soviet era. Poisonous dust storms kicked up by strong winds across the dried and polluted seabed give rise to a multitude of chronic and acute illnesses among the few residents, weather unmoderated by the sea now buffets the town with hotter-than-normal summers and colder-than-normal winters.<br />
<br />
The Aral Sea was once the world's fourth-largest saline body of water, it has been steadily shrinking since the 1960s, after the rivers that fed it were diverted by Soviet Union irrigation projects. By 2004, the sea had shrunk to 25% of its original surface area, and a nearly fivefold increase in salinity had killed most of its natural flora and fauna. By 2007 it had declined to 10% of its original size, splitting into three separate lakes, two of which are too salty to support fish. The once prosperous fishing industry has been virtually destroyed, and former fishing towns along the original shores have become ship graveyards.
    Exclusivepix_Where_Cargo_Ships_Go_To...jpg
  • Where Cargo Ships Go To Die <br />
<br />
Muynak is a city in northern Karakalpakstan in western Uzbekistan. Home to only a few thousand residents at most, Muynak's population has been declining precipitously since the 1980s due to the recession of the Aral Sea.<br />
<br />
Once a bustling fishing community, Muynak is now a shadow of its former self, dozens of miles from the rapidly receding shoreline of the Aral Sea. Fishing had always been part of the economy of the region, and Muynak became a center of industrial fishing and canning. A regional agricultural monoculture dominated by cotton production which diverts water from tributary rivers of the sea into irrigation, and severe pollution caused by agricultural chemical runoff, are causing the sea to evaporate and the water that remains is highly saline and very toxic, causing the ecological disaster which is inevitably destroying the sea and killing the residents of the towns in its vicinity, including Muynak.<br />
<br />
Muynak is now home to a incongruous armada of rusting hulks that once made up the proud fishing fleet during the Soviet era. Poisonous dust storms kicked up by strong winds across the dried and polluted seabed give rise to a multitude of chronic and acute illnesses among the few residents, weather unmoderated by the sea now buffets the town with hotter-than-normal summers and colder-than-normal winters.<br />
<br />
The Aral Sea was once the world's fourth-largest saline body of water, it has been steadily shrinking since the 1960s, after the rivers that fed it were diverted by Soviet Union irrigation projects. By 2004, the sea had shrunk to 25% of its original surface area, and a nearly fivefold increase in salinity had killed most of its natural flora and fauna. By 2007 it had declined to 10% of its original size, splitting into three separate lakes, two of which are too salty to support fish. The once prosperous fishing industry has been virtually destroyed, and former fishing towns along the original shores have become ship graveyards.
    Exclusivepix_Where_Cargo_Ships_Go_To...jpg
  • Where Cargo Ships Go To Die <br />
<br />
Muynak is a city in northern Karakalpakstan in western Uzbekistan. Home to only a few thousand residents at most, Muynak's population has been declining precipitously since the 1980s due to the recession of the Aral Sea.<br />
<br />
Once a bustling fishing community, Muynak is now a shadow of its former self, dozens of miles from the rapidly receding shoreline of the Aral Sea. Fishing had always been part of the economy of the region, and Muynak became a center of industrial fishing and canning. A regional agricultural monoculture dominated by cotton production which diverts water from tributary rivers of the sea into irrigation, and severe pollution caused by agricultural chemical runoff, are causing the sea to evaporate and the water that remains is highly saline and very toxic, causing the ecological disaster which is inevitably destroying the sea and killing the residents of the towns in its vicinity, including Muynak.<br />
<br />
Muynak is now home to a incongruous armada of rusting hulks that once made up the proud fishing fleet during the Soviet era. Poisonous dust storms kicked up by strong winds across the dried and polluted seabed give rise to a multitude of chronic and acute illnesses among the few residents, weather unmoderated by the sea now buffets the town with hotter-than-normal summers and colder-than-normal winters.<br />
<br />
The Aral Sea was once the world's fourth-largest saline body of water, it has been steadily shrinking since the 1960s, after the rivers that fed it were diverted by Soviet Union irrigation projects. By 2004, the sea had shrunk to 25% of its original surface area, and a nearly fivefold increase in salinity had killed most of its natural flora and fauna. By 2007 it had declined to 10% of its original size, splitting into three separate lakes, two of which are too salty to support fish. The once prosperous fishing industry has been virtually destroyed, and former fishing towns along the original shores have become ship graveyards.
    Exclusivepix_Where_Cargo_Ships_Go_To...jpg
  • Where Cargo Ships Go To Die <br />
<br />
<br />
Muynak is a city in northern Karakalpakstan in western Uzbekistan. Home to only a few thousand residents at most, Muynak's population has been declining precipitously since the 1980s due to the recession of the Aral Sea.<br />
<br />
Once a bustling fishing community, Muynak is now a shadow of its former self, dozens of miles from the rapidly receding shoreline of the Aral Sea. Fishing had always been part of the economy of the region, and Muynak became a center of industrial fishing and canning. A regional agricultural monoculture dominated by cotton production which diverts water from tributary rivers of the sea into irrigation, and severe pollution caused by agricultural chemical runoff, are causing the sea to evaporate and the water that remains is highly saline and very toxic, causing the ecological disaster which is inevitably destroying the sea and killing the residents of the towns in its vicinity, including Muynak.<br />
<br />
Muynak is now home to a incongruous armada of rusting hulks that once made up the proud fishing fleet during the Soviet era. Poisonous dust storms kicked up by strong winds across the dried and polluted seabed give rise to a multitude of chronic and acute illnesses among the few residents, weather unmoderated by the sea now buffets the town with hotter-than-normal summers and colder-than-normal winters.<br />
<br />
The Aral Sea was once the world's fourth-largest saline body of water, it has been steadily shrinking since the 1960s, after the rivers that fed it were diverted by Soviet Union irrigation projects. By 2004, the sea had shrunk to 25% of its original surface area, and a nearly fivefold increase in salinity had killed most of its natural flora and fauna. By 2007 it had declined to 10% of its original size, splitting into three separate lakes, two of which are too salty to support fish. The once prosperous fishing industry has been virtually destroyed, and former fishing towns along the original shores have become ship graveyards
    Exclusivepix_Where_Cargo_Ships_Go_To..jpeg
  • Where Cargo Ships Go To Die <br />
<br />
Muynak is a city in northern Karakalpakstan in western Uzbekistan. Home to only a few thousand residents at most, Muynak's population has been declining precipitously since the 1980s due to the recession of the Aral Sea.<br />
<br />
Once a bustling fishing community, Muynak is now a shadow of its former self, dozens of miles from the rapidly receding shoreline of the Aral Sea. Fishing had always been part of the economy of the region, and Muynak became a center of industrial fishing and canning. A regional agricultural monoculture dominated by cotton production which diverts water from tributary rivers of the sea into irrigation, and severe pollution caused by agricultural chemical runoff, are causing the sea to evaporate and the water that remains is highly saline and very toxic, causing the ecological disaster which is inevitably destroying the sea and killing the residents of the towns in its vicinity, including Muynak.<br />
<br />
Muynak is now home to a incongruous armada of rusting hulks that once made up the proud fishing fleet during the Soviet era. Poisonous dust storms kicked up by strong winds across the dried and polluted seabed give rise to a multitude of chronic and acute illnesses among the few residents, weather unmoderated by the sea now buffets the town with hotter-than-normal summers and colder-than-normal winters.<br />
<br />
The Aral Sea was once the world's fourth-largest saline body of water, it has been steadily shrinking since the 1960s, after the rivers that fed it were diverted by Soviet Union irrigation projects. By 2004, the sea had shrunk to 25% of its original surface area, and a nearly fivefold increase in salinity had killed most of its natural flora and fauna. By 2007 it had declined to 10% of its original size, splitting into three separate lakes, two of which are too salty to support fish. The once prosperous fishing industry has been virtually destroyed, and former fishing towns along the original shores have become ship graveyards.
    Exclusivepix_Where_Cargo_Ships_Go_To..jpeg
  • There is a top-secret military plant called "Hydropribor", located in South-East Crimea. This facility used to produce underwater weapons systems such as torpedoes, mines, etc. Only a very few knew about existence of this place, even in the neighboring city of Feodosia.<br />
<br />
After break up of Soviet Union in the early 90's "Hydropribor" had stopped getting government procurement and had it closed, its classification had been removed.<br />
<br />
Nowadays this facility is abandoned, it's territory totally neglected, but there are still a few buildings left. One of them was a hospital for plant's employes. This hospital is in the same condition now as it was more than 20 years ago.<br />
<br />
Now this building boarded up, but if you get inside, you can see abandoned medical records, dentist tools and dentures, doctor’s offices and… outstanding Black Sea view out of window.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_military_plant_abandone...jpg
  • There is a top-secret military plant called "Hydropribor", located in South-East Crimea. This facility used to produce underwater weapons systems such as torpedoes, mines, etc. Only a very few knew about existence of this place, even in the neighboring city of Feodosia.<br />
<br />
After break up of Soviet Union in the early 90's "Hydropribor" had stopped getting government procurement and had it closed, its classification had been removed.<br />
<br />
Nowadays this facility is abandoned, it's territory totally neglected, but there are still a few buildings left. One of them was a hospital for plant's employes. This hospital is in the same condition now as it was more than 20 years ago.<br />
<br />
Now this building boarded up, but if you get inside, you can see abandoned medical records, dentist tools and dentures, doctor’s offices and… outstanding Black Sea view out of window.<br />
©Sergey Anashkevitch/Exclusivepix
    Exclusivepix_military_plant_abandone...jpg
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