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The main building at Site 254 was built specifically for the processing of the Buran orbiter. The building is 312 meters long and 254 meters wide. It covers around 72,000 square meters. The main processing area is flanked by four-floor complex of test rooms with total 4,800 square meters of space. Inside building is subdivided into a central hall and four high bays for processing multiple orbiters. The building was originally intended for final assembly of the orbiter and the installation of its thermal protection tiles. A test pad for pre-flight testing of the orbiter's propulsion systems and the vehicle's post-flight deactivation was built in the proximity of the main assembly building. RKK Energia managed to reclaim the most precious assets of the Energia-Buran era, moving Soyuz and Progress pre-launch operations into former Buran processing building at Site 254. RKK Energia also uses the same building to process its Block D upper stages flying on top of the Proton rocket. Starsem operations brought some revival into majestic complex, including European-style canteen serving mostly ESA personell. A test version of the Buran orbiter was left stranded at the test-firing pad at Site 254. The Baikonur officials were considering moving it into the city as a monument, however, the size of the vehicle made it impossible to overcome low bridge of the Moscow-Tashkent railroad, which cuts the cosmodrome from its residential area. |
PICTURE GALLERY
The Buran processing building at Site 254 (on the foreground and N-1/Energia assembly building at Site 112 on the background. Copyright © 2001 Anatoly Zak
The prototype of the Buran orbiter sitting at the firing pad at Site 254. Vibration test building at Site 112A and Energia launch pads at Site 110 can be seen on the background in the right part of the photo. Copyright © 2001 Anatoly Zak
The Buran engine firing pad at Site 254 on the right and MZK fueling complex at Site 112A on the left. Copyright © 2001 Anatoly Zak
A mural on the interior wall of the processing area at Site 254 quotes Sergei Korolev: "Road to Stars is Open." Copyright © 2001 Anatoly Zak
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