Buran Buran: when notorious space programs die on planet earth, where do the buildings go? Rio?

Well, “the reflex”-ive answer is “Nowhere, of course!!” But what does happen to space launch facilities once a program goes away? Maybe some people “save a prayer” for them,” but in most of the modern world, facilities tend to be reused. Space launch complex-6 (SLC-6) at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, is a good example […]

Russian spacesuits, showers, and toilets for space operators

Popular Mechanics posted this article and these pictures of an old Soviet spacesuit factory. According to the article, the Tomilino, Russia-based factory is still manufacturing things (but doesn’t really say spacesuits, specifically). They apparently manufactured spacesuits for cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin–and for dogs named Laika, too. The toilet looks, um, functional. Related articles Skydiver record could affect spacesuit […]

Old footage of Soviet rocket launch attempts

Here’s at least one video, on Jalopnik’s page, of a failed launch. Note, Jalopnik’s accompanying post of why the Soviets failed to get to the moon before the United States seems to be supposition, but likely true. The Soviets made their equipment more complicated (see the article), giving Murphy (or perhaps the Imp of the […]

Space cloud mystery answered

Remember that picture an International Space Station astronaut shot of a mysterious cloud in space I posted about on 11 Oct.? There was a bit of guessing on what exactly that was, but it turns out all guesses were correct, for the most part. A mobile Russian intercontinental ballistic missile, the Topol/SS-25, caused the cloud […]

Missile cloud in space

It must be interesting to be an International Space Station astronaut for all sorts of reasons, but one of the more intriguing ones, I’m sure, is being able to see all the activities going on below. So this article on Universe Today’s site points out a very rare photo-op one of the astronauts took advantage of yesterday. […]