Return to the ABANDONED Soviet Buran SPACE SHUTTLES

[@chrisluckhardt]

WATCH THE NEXT VIDEO 🇺🇸 → kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmq6i6eEntaAidk _EDIT: Yes, I'm aware BALD went to the shuttles years AFTER seeing me and some other people do it. No need to keep mentioning it lol._

[@lainfonet]

Great video. If caught, will you go to jail in Russia? Or just pay a fine and go?

[@chrisluckhardt]

@@lainfonet Some people were caught by the armed patrols last summer and shared their experience with me directly. They had to go to court after spending the night in detention. The punishment was the standard $50 US fine past caught explorers received. But they were also banned from Russia for life. Patrols increased to hourly after our winter adventure, they're using EVs for silent approach, and they have dogs with them now. All ground-level windows and openings are sealed. They're also checking inside the building during some of the hourly patrols.

[@interstellardevil3331]

@@chrisluckhardtso it’s basically impossible now then?

[@chrisluckhardt]

@@interstellardevil3331 It's even worse suddenly because a French guy died doing the hike a couple of weeks ago. His close friends claim the official story of dehydration from Roscosmos is false. The story is available with a Google search.

[@interstellardevil3331]

@@chrisluckhardt That is not what I wanted to hear. Planning on doing it in about two years or so. Have also considered writing directly to Roscosmos and asking permission. Have you given any thought about going back? Love the videos btw!

[@vftsdorado9528]

No music. No stupid face on the thumbnail. No clickbait title. Good footage. This is a proper urbex movie! Thanks!

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks, other people have also commented positively about this immersive style of filming and editing. I prefer the category of "adventure photographer" versus "urban explorer", but I know what you mean - those titles and thumbnails are obnoxious lol.

[@pinedelgado4743]

"URBEX!" A new portmanteau I've not heard before but that makes sense! Thank you @vftdorado9528!!!

[@bartseverein5235]

I really, really appreciate you did not use music or voice over here, but let the sounds and images speak for themselves.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thank you for pointing that out, Bart! I’m aiming for an immersive experience with the videos I’ve filmed in recent years.

[@pce0513]

@@chrisluckhardt I can feel that in the way you pan the camera aswell. I would suggest you are achieving your goal, thank you

[@chrisluckhardt]

@@pce0513 I’m glad you noticed the panning! I do the panning with a deliberate motion that attempts to resemble how our eyes move. I pivot the camera before I turn my body so it will hopefully feel more natural for viewers. I think it works.

[@sophicutler1492]

Yes!!! Thank you so much for not a time wasting intro as well. Just get to it and your vids are great!!

[@matthiasgrunwald895]

I thought the building has collapsed? So was it a rumor?

[@davidlittlefield2483]

These incredible machines should be saved before they are ruined, to commemorate the designers, engineers and workers who built them. Truly amazing engineering feat.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Agree 100%, and let’s hope it happens! _Edit: anyone seeing replies from me below to non-existent comments is because the ignorant cowards deleted their uneducated and highly biased opinions that were masquerading as facts. And no surprise: they were all American boomers!_

[@davidlittlefield2483]

@@chrisluckhardt You are very lucky you had the opportunity to see them close up. Were you able to see the wreckage of the first orbiter destroyed by the roof collapse in the distant building?

[@chrisluckhardt]

Roscosmos cleaned up the 2002 roof collapse wreckage immediately after it happened. That left the two shuttles and Energia M for us to see up close.

[@zerofox7347]

Why are they not in a museum? Surely they’re not top secret I mean they’re on KZbin lol!

[@chrisluckhardt]

@@zerofox7347 Shhhh...don't tell anyone! lol

[@ianturvey3894]

Absolutely incredible! As a retired engineer, it’s such a shame not to see these craft preserved. The building as well, is amazing! Thanks for sharing all of this.

[@rachaelfranklin1437]

I showed my STEM class parts of the video today and they were amazed and sad all at the same time. So much amazing engineering left to decay. Several commented on the engineering of the building as well and the dedication of your team to get there, explore, and return with the weather and risks. Thank you for bringing this history to us!

[@chrisluckhardt]

Rachael, thanks so much for showing the video to your class! I love the idea that my work can be used for STEM education. It's part of my purpose for documenting places. And especially for these shuttles I wanted to preserve them in high quality video so people can see their details immersively.

[@gary7vn]

One the Buran mockups is on display in Moscow.

[@richpelto248]

This is really important and impressive stuff. The Shuttle Era was important for world history. I wish this could have been saved

[@lordsinclair1st]

The holy grail of lost places. Thanks for taking us along (again)!

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks for watching (again)!

[@ChicagoAstronomer]

Excellent. With no insipid comments, expletives and other childish expressions. Well done Sirs....

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thank you. I attempt to take a more scholarly, archaeological approach to my videos.

[@jacobreuter]

The Energia part blew my mind the most. I don't think Ive ever seen that before.

[@virus7379]

in the 80s I went to school and was proud that we have such an advanced ship as Buran, I remember her first and only flight into space, I dreamed about the future, but now I'm sad when I see what is left of the pride of the Soviet space program, as well as from many other things. And it’s a pity that no one has the money to save all this for history, to show people, and not just leave it to rust. Thank you guys for this video!

[@chrisluckhardt]

Buran was an incredible piece of engineering for its time! I hope these shuttles will be saved but until then let's keep dreaming about the future of space exploration! 🚀

[@yongchenseng4739]

😢let’s hope people stop warring ,n make space ship n not weapons of death

[@felixb.pfister7172]

The germans bought one for a museum.

[@peterjohnson4522]

I know right ! Not like there are any independently wealthy Russians with more money then some third world countries that would actually donate money to preservation . Rely on another country such as Germany to step in

[@Андрей_Кузнецов]

Каким то образом этот ангар, макет внутри него и реальный челнок перешли в частную собственность и Россия не может получить эти изделия, хотя попытки были

[@foremasp]

Sad but fitting place for these orbiters to be, speaks to the great minds and capabilities of the USSR and Russia, yet it’s the decay and rot of neglect and corruption that destroys even precious things. They couldn’t be kept in a more perfect way.

[@detroyes2]

There has to be a museum somewhere which would be willing to host these machines. Even if they never flew, they are a piece of history worthy of being preserved.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Technik Museum Speyer in German has the OK-GLI Buran orbiter. It did 25 non-orbital test flights before being retired in 1988. I wonder if they would be interested in hosting Ptichka?

[@Dr.TJ_Eckleburg]

@@chrisluckhardt I'm sure there are plenty of museums that would love to have them, but the logistics of transport must be hugely complex and the space required to properly display them also massive. With the current geopolitical climate I don't think there's much cooperation available unfortunately. To be honest, one of the big museums here in America would probably be a great venue as well. The Smithsonian already has a number of artifacts from the Soviet space program, hosting a Soviet shuttle would be fantastic, and give exposure to a huge audience of people who probably have no idea it ever existed.

[@chrisluckhardt]

@@Dr.TJ_Eckleburg It's fair to say hosting Ptichka in a US museum would give it the attention it deserves. But I agree with your assessment of the geopolitical blockers. And, in case you hadn't heard, a Russian team (NGO Molniya) inspected the shuttles and MZK building in September 2021 and stated the vehicles would need to be dismantled to be removed.

[@Oleksandr-snk]

During invasion of Ukraine Russia destroyed only aircraft that could carry buran

[@jonnies]

@@chrisluckhardtpitchka?

[@adamsears1403]

I remember in the 90's watching the Russia's display their Buran space shuttle program on the news. Similarities between NASA shuttles were uncanny. Now 30 years later as an American I hope Russia would find a way to preserve and restore these shuttles for history's sake. Your video's could end up being the last record of these vehicles and the facility they were stored in.

[@ИПОрловаМарияГеннадьевна]

I from Russia and I fink we can't that so rich for development and all for upgrade need factory and many structural, all that fall to and dead

[@DM_BV]

К сожалению спасти этот экземпляр скорее всего не получится,его продали власти Казахстана в частные руки,а новый хозяин отказывается это продавать, и предлагал обменять их на голову Чингисхана и не только, короче неадекватный

[@alexeykargojarvinen5273]

@@traumvonhaiti - And the American nuclear bomb would have been stolen from the Germans! =)))

[@dendevis4331]

как по мне, так сходство ограничивается только условиями и задачами челноков. ракеты тоже друг на друга похожи)

[@adamsears1403]

@@DM_BV Sounds alot like People who own Classic American Muscle cars who refuse to sell. Even if the cars are rusting out in a corn field and there is a demand to restore them they just want to keep it regardless of the conditions they're stored in.

[@technologic21]

Simply amazing. That wood block by the ladder hadn't been touched by human hands in more than 27 years. I enjoyed the panoramic view of the spaceport, the administrative buildings, barracks, and the vehicle assembly tower, where they would have mated them to the Energia fuel tank and boosters. You guys have balls of steel climbing up that high across rusted-out catwalks. That hanger is an impressive superstructure, probably one of the largest in the world.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Awesome - glad you enjoyed the various views I wanted to capture of the building and surrounding area for preservation. And yes, those rusting catwalks aren't for the timid!

[@MrLanternland]

A long time ago i was an apprentice steeplejack. I used to explore catwalks in old church steeples, some of which hadn't been trod upon for a century or more. Below a mound of dust on one i found a 90 year old newspaper. You exploring the rusty old catwalks reminded me of that.

[@matterhaz2980]

Amazing video I love the rawness no transitions no music or overly excited KZbin voices just pure footage preserving history!! Thank you for making this risky and dangerous journey so people like me can watch how its properly done instead of inevitably getting arrested as a Canadian and sent to a gulag!!

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks - the production feedback I've received is fantastic! So many people on KZbin want to put the focus on themselves rather than let the subject matter speak for itself. I prefer immersion and switched my production style a while ago to match.

[@kirruan]

My grandfather once tested Buran's thermal shield by shooting it with a laser. For him, the destruction of the program was equal to the Chernobyl accident

[@chrisluckhardt]

Can you share more about your grandfather’s role in the Buran program?

[@kirruan]

@@chrisluckhardt he used powerful lasers capable of quickly melting metal to test the heat resistance of Buran's thermal shield and find best material for it. Also, as far as I know, the institute where he worked was involved in the development of a laser for the Skif combat station

[@BingBongBonk]

I usually skip through most urbex videos, but something about this one really sucked me in. While the content was great - your style of recording and editing was just top notch, it really felt like I was there myself. Stellar job!

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks for the kind words. I switched back to this immersive style and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. People want to feel like they’re there!

[@nyckhusan2634]

A lot of vandalism on sites. Out of imagination. Worked in 1985-1986 on MIK#254. Provided conditioned air from 45 central air conditioners, 125,000 m3/hr of air supply each, into hangar rooms 101,102,103,104,105. There were two prototypes of " Buran " in the rooms 104,105. Later final spaceship that went into space in November 1988 arrived into room 102. Constantly measured temperature and relative humidity in the rooms, provided air filtration to keep air clean inside. At that time all air conditioners were not even commissioned, but it was needed to maintain control parameters in manual mode 24/7 because glue on heat protection tiles needed to dry on certain air temperature and humidity without fluctuations. On flight in November 15 1988 just 2 tiles fell down. Compare it with dozens of tiles that fall on each US " Shuttle " flight regularly and finally damaged tiles killed entire US Shuttle program after disaster with Columbia. .

[@georgecatalin7129]

thanks for info

[@mr.boomguy]

It's kindof depressing seeing such a engineering marvel just sit there rusting away, not even left on a museum to get commemorated for it's feats like the American space shuttle.

[@yendor2043]

Thank you so much for risking everything to share your adventure with us strangers.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks! One of my goals during this 2nd time at the shuttles was to record the highest possible quality video of them. A 10-minute walk around is pushing the patience of many KZbin viewers but I wanted to ensure every angle was covered for future preservation.

[@Vile-Flesh]

Thank you for taking us along for this amazing exploration. The interiors of the buildings looked MAMMOTH in size and the views from below and from above were very nice to see. I especially liked to see the hiking parts in the frozen desert before and after reaching the buildings. I cannot imagine an 11 hour hike through nothing and not having anxiety of getting lost. Lastly, it was a real treat to see both Buran shuttles and that full scale mockup of that rocket. The tunnels under the complex sound interesting to explore also.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks so much! There were many moments when the scale of the adventure and structures felt overwhelming. It's a bit like imagining the size of Jupiter or the sun - our minds can't comprehend it. As for the hike, my sense of direction is good enough that I didn't really need a map this time! Growing up in the country probably helps me to feel more at ease out in Kazakhstan's desert than in a metropolis! Even at night!

[@dave_legenda]

Absolutely fantastic content! Those people who vandalised the bird should be damned.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks! And I wish the vandalizing cowards would've been caught and punished.

[@shanegriffin2215]

What’s really amazing about this is that the buildings and everything in them were built in such an inhospitable environment. Truly an engineering marvel. Great history!

[@MaxxUrban]

Chris, thanks for your incredible courage to visit this place not once but twice! This is exciting, but at the same time causes longing for the dead dreams of cosmos conquerors. It is very sad that my country in the 90s was on the verge of collapse, the former republics separated together with part of the legacy of the USSR and the government was not up to preserving the space heritage. But thanks to such courageous guys like you, we have the opportunity to look at the remnants from these great inventions. Thank you so much!

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks so much for the insightful comment! Seeing and revealing these ships and rockets provides a window into the extraordinary work of the Soviet scientists and engineers. It's amazing that Ptichka was scheduled to do a launch, dock with Mir, and land autonomously. She was so close but robbed of a glorious legacy.

[@chrisluckhardt]

@Grigas Barkauskas I think he's referring to the lost collective science and technology efforts. Politics aside, it was an impressive collective effort.

[@thedarkslide]

Nothing sad about the Soviet Empire and Russia collapsing. Soviet Russia was an empire of evil, Russia is trying its best to re-establish the status of an evil empire. We should all hope Russia ends up the same way as this space shuttle and the building - forgotten in time and derelict in some desert and abandoned. Glory to Ukraine.

[@ARareAndDifferentTune1313]

@@thedarkslideyeah and what of all the innocent people in Russia who can’t leave or have been lied to? They should be left too?

[@thedarkslide]

@@ARareAndDifferentTune1313 I don't see Russians making an effort to rise up and fight their regime. No protests, nothing. They seem happy with what's going on.

[@jonvicsison4895]

So glad to see you tried to leave minimal footprint, so unlike the vandals that have done so much damage😢. Nice eerie film. Night shots were great!

[@chrisluckhardt]

I treat every abandoned place like it's a museum - take photos (and video) and leave it as I found it! If I ever go back it will be for more night shots because the stars are so crystal clear out there!

[@fmbbeachbum8163]

The Great Grab was done by plenty of wealthy people & poor people alike. Putin got an oil company & the poor people got copper. It is what it is. If people like Boris or Putin cared the shuttles would've been in a museum.

[@steffan10000]

I’ve seen a lot of pictures and videos from inside that hangar. This is by far the best one I’ve ever seen.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks so much, Steffan! My main purpose going back was to capture the best 4K footage of these incredible machines.

[@joshdenton611]

Khazakhstan should make this a tourist area and charge admission. I'm sure people would come from all over the world to see these magnificent aircraft. It's a part of history that westerners back in the 80's and 90's knew little about.😆😁😎

[@marcocabal]

It would be a very good idea

[@Iyanrach]

Let the wind & the foot sounds & pictures speak, No cinematic music, this was brilliant, excellent video, great peoples behind them. Very nice.

[@DebsPhotography]

So sad to see such amazing engineering being left to just decay away 😢

[@czecsaba]

Max respect for your hard and long walking trip. It's amazing, must see in the real life. Thanks for this video guys, you saved a bit for the future

[@unownyoutuber9049]

i have to admire the balls walking though a warehouse that probably haven't been serviced since the 90s. Hats off to you good sirs

[@chrisluckhardt]

NPO Molniya, the original designers, inspected the MZK building and shuttles in September 2021. They reported that the building "is in an emergency condition and can collapse at any moment". It was on my mind during every minute we were inside the building and up on those rusty, shaky catwalks. But we accept and prepare for the risks to do this type of adventure with months of training and planning.

[@VI-GROUP.]

Спасибо большое за это прекрасное видео. За эту прогулку без музыки, без разговоров. Вы первый кто снял такой формат. Места под птичками, разные углы фото и видео. Сама подача потрясающая. И к сожалению хочу сказать, что это последнее их пристанище. Они никому не нужны и их практически невозможно оттуда извлечь. Это огромные деньги. Жаль. Это было бы прекрасным событием, если бы их оттуда извлечь. Для музея и будущего поколения.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Спасибо за добрый отзыв о производстве видео! Я хочу создавать погружающий опыт для зрителей, а не делать себя фокусом видео. К сожалению, время иссякло для того, чтобы спасти эти космические корабли. Надеюсь, что владелец в Казахстане и российские власти скоро согласятся на план спасения! (Переведено с английского на русский с помощью ChatGPT.)

[@Sergeyananiev.]

Мы гордимся нашими технологами теми кто первый этот уникальный корабль буря создал тогда образование было очень качественное и довольно таки было мощнее чем счас сидим в гаджитах всё образование только компьютер это их место упокоении двух стальных птиц надо было беречь СССР а мы наш дядя Миша Горбачев и колдырь нещастный забулдыга сраный Ельцин всё что было то просрали обосрали тогда Россию молодых ребят в Чечне похоронил мразь сраная

[@RDavis-lr1zc]

The contents and size of the complex in its entirety, leaves one nearly speechless. I can well imagine the amount spent building it all, to be a staggering amount and all the more shameful that they sit locked away, unused, and rusting into nothingness. That photo of the tall building and the star filled sky as its backdrop, is absolutely beautiful. For those of us who live in the cities, we easily forget that their abundance and sheer magnitude are a truly breathtaking sight to behold. Thank you for reminding us. The shots of the setting sun upon the open plains are just as stunning.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Staggering is a good way of putting it. I've estimated the entire Buran program to be approximately US $125 billion in today's money. The size of the structures and cost are overwhelming.

[@vix6276]

Chris, that footage you found in 95' that you played in the beginning was phenomenal! fantastic, earned a new sub! can't wait to see what you have in store next, just pls be safe!!

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks so much! I thought that footage would be useful in historical context.

[@KeithHays-ek4vr]

I sat in the pilot's seat of the Buran that came to Australia during the 2000 Olympic Games. The craft had flown - however initially it had been towed, then landed by test pilots. From memory, this craft was later fitted with jet engines, and carried on the same work, later being automated and remote controlled. It was supposed to be returned to Russia after the games, however I believe some 'issues' arose, and I heard it wound up in a theme park in South America or somewhere. To me, the saddest part was not only losing the Buran project, but also all the accumulated knowledge gleaned during the programme. I've spent my career in aviation, and although I love all aircraft and spacecraft, I know it's really the passion, sacrifice and love of the aviation/space fraternity that makes them fly.

[@chrisluckhardt]

OK-GLI is the flight test shuttle that ended up in Australia. It was later discovered in Bahrain by a team of German journalists in 2004, and then was bought and shipped to the Technik Museum Speyer in Germany in 2008. And you're correct about the engines - it was fitted with four jet engines so it could take off under its own power for 25 flight tests between 1984 and 1989. More details here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OK-GLI

[@KeithHays-ek4vr]

@@chrisluckhardt Cheers! 🦘

[@dominicrusho]

Amazing video. Sadly I think these vehicles are going to be trapped here forever. It would be a logistical nightmare to transport them anywhere - let alone opening the MZK doors - and it doesn’t seem like Dauren Musa has any intention of relinquishing ownership any time soon. Fun bonus fact: OK-MT had originally been intended as a sacrificial test payload for an early Energia flight, where it would have been intentionally burned up on re-entry.

[@chrisluckhardt]

I messaged with Musa in 2021. I get the sense that he wants the shuttles to be preserved but it’s a matter of personal and national Kazakh pride. I think your prediction is sadly on point. I hope Ptichka avoids the same fate as Buran but the clock is ticking on MZK’s structural integrity.

[@IfpR]

It qould be cool to reatore place and the shuttles and laynch then maybe with roscosmos help or nasa or even spacex

[@Texaca]

​​​@@IfpR ....that old technology has been derelict and abandoned for too long. Rats or vermin have probably got inside those vehicles and probably chewed up all the wiring. Just like a car that's been abandoned in a field, it'll have a hard time starting. 🤔 But they should be preserved, before time takes a toll on them, if I hasn't already.

[@honeyforce996]

Wow, the night sky is so beautiful. I admire you for taking the risk. Thanks for sharing the video.

[@chrisluckhardt]

The star were like diamonds out there because there’s almost no light pollution. Beautiful!

[@TravisTrittFan]

I traveled to the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville Alabama a couple years ago. The shuttle they had on display was unfortunately off site for maintenance but the fuel tank was still there. I was mind-blown at how large it was. The icing though was seeing the Saturn V rocket. My jaw dropped and lost my breath as I walked closer and stood beside it. I think for most people, myself included, we find it hard to appreciate the sheer size of these until you see them with your own eyes.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Aren't they amazing? I've seen the other two Saturn V - the one at Kennedy and last month at Johnson in Houston. Overwhelming is an understatement!

[@TravisTrittFan]

@@chrisluckhardt Absolutely! I hope to go back to Huntsville again one day and visit it again. There's so much to see that it's hard to take it all in and process it. And you are 100% accurate in your statement that "overwhelming is an understatement." Truly. It is.

[@TheRealXira]

Thank you for taking this journey, along with all the risks that came with it, in order to document these amazing vehicles & buildings. As others have mentioned also, thank you for not over editing the footage, and allowing the camera to do what was intended. I could almost feel their presence whilst watching this. A truly immensely, immersive video. ❤

[@chrisluckhardt]

I'm loving these comments related to the video production! Thank you! It was a deliberate choice to switch to this immersive style of documentation. I'm so tired of explorers who are trying to be KZbin personalities rather than focus on the abandoned places and other important content.

[@chlindh1]

​@@chrisluckhardtthank you. This is the way to do it!

[@chrisruthford4492]

Imagine the cost to build something so remote like that. The logistics are mind boggling also.

[@chrisluckhardt]

I've estimated the cost of the Buran program in today's money to be around US 125 billion. And building up all of that infrastructure from nothing in a desert in the 1950s and forward was a logistical challenge!

[@josels1292]

Is this the reason it failed?

[@chrisluckhardt]

@@josels1292The Buran program was a major success but then the Soviet Union collapsed. Russia inherited the program and canceled it in 1993 due to more pressing economic needs.

[@fix0071]

потому что советские граждане работали а идею, а не за деньги. в демократическом рыночном мире подобное невозможно.

[@TechOne7671]

Thanks for filming and produce this video. As a kid in the 80s I wanted a model of these but none were available. Your video has been the best images I have ever seen of them. What an amazing building it was too, I wish I could read Russian to understand the charts and drawings. So sad to see it pillaged and left to rot. All the best.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks for the feedback about the quality! I was striving to capture the shuttles in the best clarity ever for preservation and space exploration enthusiasts. A friend had those models and they always grabbed my attention when I visited!

[@TechOne7671]

@@chrisluckhardt the quality is superb considering the conditions like lighting and covert operations. I like prowling around old buildings for the history and engineering aspects and never had any trouble, just asked to leave, but doing that in a Russian controlled area takes balls!! Got to ask yourself, would you have made it out alive!??

[@chrisluckhardt]

Good points! But I wasn't concerned about making out alive as much as what would happen to us after being caught while the war is ongoing. I've heard first-hand stories of people being let go after a night in jail but I'd rather not become the first person caught to be used as an international example.

[@Curi0u50ne]

Hi, I had the American equivalent I got it for Christmas in 1978 I'd have been 9 in may , i already had a small number of airfix aeroplanes all commercial dc9, airbus, 707, and a jumbo, the shuttle wasn't airfix, it was "Revell" or somthing, much more flimsy than the airfix brands, I can see how similar this is, Its sad that they never got to use them mostly

[@FloridaWaterAdventures]

Nice job Chris! This video needs a zillion views!

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks - just happy to share my work and let the algorithms wave their invisible hand lol

[@narm_greyrunner]

It's amazing to think what was once an important Soviet space vehicle is just rotting away in a warehouse.

[@Pisca-kk5cs]

Wow … this is a treasure chest waiting to be opened and displayed… imagine if this can be preserved, cleaned up and opened to the world… I would try to make an effort to visit!

[@americanpaisareturns9051]

Amazing footage. I felt something eerie yet peaceful about this video. Such rich history. You went exploring without permission but unlike the vandals you treated the place with respect. 😎👍🏽

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thank you! 🚀 I think of this place as a living museum and tried to treat it accordingly. I returned to document its significance in the history of space exploration in the highest quality possible, so I'm glad you liked it!

[@thomasbeltran5417]

So sad that a government could just walk a way seems to me that this should be in a museum of aviation. Sad to see it just going to waste ❤️ thank you for a great video 🙌🏾❤️

[@amarjeetchand1825]

What a amazing place you showed us. I don’t really need to see it again I’ve seen everything in great detail. Thank you

[@twogamer7149]

This spacecraft should have been placed in a museum.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Hopefully the head of Roscosmos and the owner Dauren Musa will agree to terms and these shuttles can be saved for a museum display!

[@Kommunisator]

@@chrisluckhardt at least OK-GLI (the sub-orbital flight test model with the external jet engines) has been preserved in the Museum in Speyr, Germany. The Acquisition of it was widely debated as far as legality goes, but I for one think that having it preserved in a museum and it being accessible for everyone to actually walk on and see the technology firsthand is kind of fascinating and enlightening. If you have the chance, visit the Technik Museum Speyr (and Sinsheim too if you can, they have a TU-144 and a Concorde, both of which you can enter).

[@chrisluckhardt]

@@Kommunisator OK-GLI's preservation is nice but I hope the real deal - article OK-1.02 in MZK - will be saved and preserved.

[@Cobraguy321]

Wow. An amazing video, and such risks taken to show us those hidden abandoned shuttles. Thanks guys.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thank you, it was quite the journey but worth it for the second chance to see the space shuttles again!

[@S.E.C-R]

I loved every minute… I don’t even remember Russia having shuttles, but I was also a teenager and not paying attention to what was going on outside my world.

[@glr4764]

Gives the vibe of a really cool a post apocalypse movie set or something. A peak of a lost world frozen in time for almost 30 years now.

[@ThePunisherJoe]

they need to be moved to a space and air museum and restored. seriously it needs to be done.

[@davidmotorsport1454]

One of the test planes is in the tech museum in Speyer/Germany. It is really great to see and explore it!

[@stefanwilliams1687]

Awesome video guys, thanks for all the effort in filming them and the quietness you allowed to come through in filming

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks, I’m glad you liked the immersive editing style. I was hoping to put the viewer in my shoes.

[@MM-cr4le]

What an amazing experience, thanks for the effort on putting this together

[@PhantomMark]

Seems quite incredible these were just abandoned completely.........stunning.

[@leftpastsaturn67]

Superb video, thank you for sharing this as a historical record instead of the usual Urbex nonsense, the silence and relevant captions were much appreciated. I'm amazed at the amount of comments from people seemingly incapable (or too lazy) of using a search engine to answer their questions about the cockpit/interior etc. Kudos to you both for this.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Amazing, thanks! And yes, I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve replied about the cockpits lol. Those people must think the cockpits look like a launch-ready US shuttle.

[@ZMan377]

This was an awesome video. I’d love to see them in person!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!! PS. If you had got caught. What would happen? Jail. Ticket. Or shot?

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks! I've heard first-hand and second-hand accounts of people who were caught before the Russia-Ukraine war. The patrols take people to the off-limits Baikonur city, interrogate them, wipe or destroy their SD cards, put them in jail overnight, and then send them away by train or taxi the next day. One unsubstantiated report is someone was branded a spy and banned from Russia for life. It all sounds fine but I wouldn't want to be caught with the ongoing war situation.

[@myothercarisaz3]

99 % KZbinrs believe that music improves their videos, I believe they are wrong. I am so happy that you took a different path. The silence in this video makes it much more thrilling.

[@TheFruitcake1983]

Даже иностранцы в комментариях относятся с большим почтением к нашим изобретателям, чем мы сами.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Многие иностранцы продолжают уважать науку и технику советских времен.

[@Mountain_Valley_Sky]

Your accomplishments in space have the respect of many. Very Deservingly. Even the hanger, out in the middle of nowhere, is a feat as well. The Shuttle moreso.

[@HELESPONTify]

Zasto to Ruska drzava ,bar ne obnovi,ofarba

[@AlexanderSashok]

​@@HELESPONTify они уже в музеях стоят покрашеные

[@maximuspizzarius1782]

It sad and at the same time fascinating, that the whole project is subject to decay. Time document. Great video.

[@michaelbruno1666]

Amazing ... thank you so much. Do you know much regarding the space-flown Buran which was damaged in the hangar collapse ... is it completely beyond repair?

[@chrisluckhardt]

The original Buran orbiter than made it into space was destroyed in a 2002 roof collapse. Details are in my 2019 video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmq3p4CAmaaHjcU

[@denisyegorov5109]

42:37. Этот звук невероятен, космический! Спасибо за погружение в эту атомферу и эти сцены.

[@shadowban481]

The way you presented this did make it feel like one was there with you.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thank you! That's the goal of my channel. I'll leave the "selfie" style of filming to the people who want that kind of attention. I'd rather put the focus on the places I explore in most cases. I feel it's more immersive for the viewer.

[@computerjantje]

FANTASTIC journey and video. I LOVE it. time stood still. Love these man made abandoned places and then combined with important history and space travel projects. This is such an amazing video in so many ways.

[@chrisluckhardt]

I made this video with a focus on space enthusiast viewers, so I’m glad you enjoyed it!

[@computerjantje]

@@chrisluckhardt Thank you

[@jonathanw08]

AWESOME!!! The random foot patrols seem fruitless--surprised there aren't any surveillance cameras.

[@chrisluckhardt]

I keep thinking the same thing - why not add remote surveillance? It makes me think the patrols are more for optics or it gives them something different to do out there in the desert.

[@Neith118]

You woke up chosing danger! Very high rusty catwalks!! Awesome video!🖤

[@chrisluckhardt]

I can't deny it this time! But I was very okay later filming them from below haha

[@sergworld]

Footage from 1995 is amazing, I’m wondering how you managed to find it?

[@chrisluckhardt]

It’s credited in the video description. I found the August 1995 footage by scanning buran.ru’s file system. It was old and small but I managed to covert it for Final Cut, upscale it, and clean up the audio.

[@99959bill]

WOW! A couple really nice photos there at the end !!!! Thanks for the video - Enjoyed it !!!

[@chriswoodby7909]

Absolutely incredible! Thank you so much for sharing this! I've seen a couple of Buran exploration videos now and with how much you spoke on the soldiers trying to catch people I was curious... Have they caught anyone and what happened to them?

[@chrisluckhardt]

I've heard first-hand and second-hand accounts of people who were caught before the Russia-Ukraine war. The patrols take people to the off-limits Baikonur city, interrogate them, wipe or destroy their SD cards, put them in jail overnight, and then send them away by train or taxi the next day. One unsubstantiated report is someone was branded a spy and banned from Russia for life. It all sounds fine but I wouldn't want to be caught with the ongoing war situation.

[@Cepheus77]

So cool and so sad. A pity you were not able to make images from the inside. Thanks for sharing!

[@chrisluckhardt]

32:35 explains why we didn't get inside one of the shuttles. But spoiler: video I saw from 2009 shows the front shuttle is mostly empty. It was just an engineering mockup, and stripped of any sellable metals by that time. No photos or videos of the Ptichka shuttle’s interior exist that I’ve seen, but evidence of entry is visible. I’m guessing it was also a victim of scrappers.

[@johndous1970]

A shame. These two Space Shuttles should preserved in a museum, not rotting away in this hangar.

[@bradfordrakes]

Incredible, well done! Thank you for giving us this inside look, very cool!

[@DerelictToDecay]

Incredible video Chris!

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks! Now it's your turn!

[@DerelictToDecay]

@@chrisluckhardt only if you go with me

[@chrisluckhardt]

@@DerelictToDecay Hmm...go again? Let me think abou.....I'm in! lol

[@mpetry912]

wow. stunning. I am glad you were not apprehended and able to get the video out.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thank you! We planned carefully but still had a close call with the patrols. I was very pleased to complete the adventure with all of this 4K video to share with the world!

[@Leighboi12]

Been following your Instagram for a while! Thanks for sharing this, it's absolutely fascinating!

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks for following along there and here!

[@johnmcgarry148]

Briiliant thank you. What a crying shame these masterpieces arent preserved

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks, appreciate it! Hopefully the shuttle's owner and Roscosmos will agree to terms before it's too late.

[@timsimms65707]

Thank you for this, interesting place, sad to see those shuttles looking so neglected. One day perhaps in better times they may be taken from there and restored as relics for a museum, though the cost at this point would be astronomical.

[@nathanchalecki4842]

Lol, pun

[@maheshperera171]

it is unbelievable, thanks to these guys we have seen the incredible engineering of Buran program.

[@vubhuhjkbhubohjb]

Great job Such a shame it's not on display like the Shuttles

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks - hopefully they'll be saved and put in a museum!

[@vubhuhjkbhubohjb]

@@chrisluckhardt it's a pity she never really got to fly except that one time She had so much potential and I loved the turbofan engines idea I think if she had 10 flights under her belt and proven NASA would have funded her after the collapse of the USSR but the Shuttle was NASA's baby so Buran had to go

[@LucasCarvalho-wp4vx]

One of the best videos I watched in yt platform, thx for sharing this phenomenal piece of history. You are the best.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Far from the best, but I appreciate your kind words!

[@johnlarro6872]

Considering what befell the other Buran, you are a very brave man! Given the lack of maintenance, every step could be your last in that place. I wish at least 1 of those surviving 2 machines would be preserved and displayed properly. It's a shame Putin would rather waste lives and money on war when there are so much better things he could be doing for his people.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Well said. I remember a statistic stating if the US gave 1% of its military budget to NASA then it would double NASA’s budget. Innovation in science and engineering without military spending is an idea I can support!

[@johnlarro6872]

@@chrisluckhardt :) :) :)

[@Bsc8]

Apart from the good and the bad that's happened here, this location feels stunning and nostalgic to me. I love these videos!

[@chrisluckhardt]

Stunning and nostalgic are great words to describe the place and experience!

[@WheelsonRails728]

Fascinating! Like entering an ancient Egyptian necropolis, except it's technology that's entombed here instead of pharaohs!

[@chrisluckhardt]

Fantastic analogy!

[@vivek27789]

True... Very True

[@JV_RX]

The energia building was a great! What a remarkable place. This video is unparalleled. Thank you.

[@chrisluckhardt]

The SDI building housing the rocket was more overwhelming than this video could ever demonstrate. What a beast!

[@yasirlatif7959]

I think this 50 min of video is not enough to cover all aspects. Oh that's the machine which took our heroes into the sapace & return back back with dignity. But now he is alone.....

[@TheBrothersGoonn]

Man, photography work seems like you go on some insane adventures. Had my palms sweating on some of those high up shots. Great video Chris!

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks so much! Those rusty catwalks with their loose railings were no fun to walk across. I get vertigo easily so I don't know how I did it. Focus, focus, focus!

[@Fran_SG]

It is so sad to see this. Pieces of art abandoned…

[@chrisluckhardt]

Ptichka was 95% complete and scheduled for a launch. It's an important part of human history and should be saved and put in a museum!

[@GTT1988]

43:34 wow what an amazing shot such clear sky’s

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thank you! The stars are like diamonds out there because the light pollution is minimal. I'll block out more time for night photography there if I ever do the adventure again!

[@bikedoc4145]

It's sad to see these in this shape, even if you hate Russia it's still part of the Space race and is a big part of history that should be preserved! Thanks a bunch for risking so much to bring us this view to see that was awesome 👍

[@Askiaban]

People should hate the top politicians of russia, not the whole country. Russia can be very beautiful

[@torbenmichalk3246]

In germany we have a rescued buran shuttle in the technikal museum of sinsheim (i belive, could aslso be speyer) worth seeing

[@chrisluckhardt]

Yes, the OK-GLI test shuttle is in the Technik Museum Speyer. It was used for 9 taxi tests and 25 test flights at the Zhukovsky Air Base, outside Moscow.

[@johnanon6938]

A real shame these last 2 aren't in some museums. Ptichka is only 1 of 2 that still exist and built for full-orbital flight. But OK-MT is the next best thing since it was the main engineering mockup. Other earlier versions of the shuttle still exist, but most were just built for early specific type of tests like airframe testing, etc. Technik Museum in Germany is the best chance to see one up-close for most people. Here's a brief list of locations: a. Russia, near Moscow??? = 3K Location Unknown was outside, rumors it'll be in a museum maybe??? - Also built for full-orbital flight, only approximately 40% complete b. Germany, Technik Museum = OK-GLI The only one I've found that's actually cared for in a museum! - Atmospheric test bed c. Kazakhstan, Gagarin Museum = OK-M On display outside. - Airframe and shake test bed. d. Russia, Sirius Science Center = OK-KS On display outside. - Electrical test bed e. Russia, VDNKh near Moscow = OK-TVA On display outside. - Structural test bed. f. Russia, near Moscow = OK-TVI Location Unknown was last seen around NIIKhimMash rocket test area. - Environmental test bed. FYI The one in Germany was the same one Australia bought for the 2000 Olympic Games.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Wikipedia's page on Buran includes a detailed breakdown of each vehicle: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buran_(spacecraft)

[@marek.veleba]

Thank you very much for sharing! I watched your first journey here about a year ago. This was a nice addition.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks for watching this return! It was so much better the second time.

[@tsmgguy]

You probably answered this question in your excellent video, but why did Buran fly just once, unmanned and under remote control?

[@chrisluckhardt]

I didn't answer the question in this video, but I did in my 2019 video. In short, it flew once because they ran out of funding and political will to continue the program. Here's my 2019 video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmq3p4CAmaaHjcU

[@tsmgguy]

@@chrisluckhardt Thanks!

[@Red_reno]

Потому что СССР распался

[@Perseverence]

45 minutes and 49 seconds of amazement. Thank you sharing this great video.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Thanks for the kind words! 🚀

[@MagosMirka]

Very, very cool video. Can you estimate how structurally intact the whole hangar is? Seeing those metal ladders and all the suspended walkways, not to speak of that cabin you slept in and imagining all of that has been left to rot for 27 years....I'd be deathly afraid something could collapse beneath me 😅

[@chrisluckhardt]

Great question! A team from NPO Molniya (developer of the shuttles) visited the MZK building in September 2021 to do an inspection. They released a statement saying the building is in “an emergency condition and can collapse at any moment”. The statement also said the shuttles would need to be dismantled to be moved. The cabin wobbled a lot but it provided extra insulation from the cold and more distance from a potential random patrol.

[@PenkillerDIY]

Very sad video! All that effort and work for nothing. To be left to rot like that. In some rooms there are broken computer cases on the ground. All the equipment looted for copper, that's incomprehensible! Super advanced space tech site looted for copper. Thanks!

[@chrisluckhardt]

@@PenkillerDIY I hope the video is a positive reminder of past science and engineering, and the amazing work to build the Ptichka shuttle! Some of the knowledge went into future space vehicles so not all was lost.

[@crazychicken7125]

@@chrisluckhardt Couldn't they just remove the doors and drag out the shuttles especially if they decide to demolish the building? Why would they have to dismantle them to move them?

[@witblitsfilm]

Fantastic video. There is something poignant about those shuttles just sitting there unloved and slowly decaying.

[@HunterA158]

Awesome video! I’d love to visit this place one day. Only problem is I am poor and haven’t traveled outside the US in 10 years 😅

[@chrisluckhardt]

Hopefully my video was immersive enough so you felt like you were there without needing to travel! 🚀

[@alexeykargojarvinen5273]

Strange! Does everyone think that Americans are very rich people?

[@JepsDesign]

Don't know how to thank you guys !! No words can explain !! You guys are of platinum !!

[@chrisluckhardt]

Your comment is thanks enough! 🚀

[@amarjeetpanesar4220]

Sad to see such a advanced and magnificent space vehicle being abandoned. Russia and Kazakhstan should think of making it space tourist centers for enthusiasts and make money.

[@chrisluckhardt]

Roscosmos and other parties have discussed what it would take to save the shuttles. But the owner (Dauren Musa) and the head of Roscosmos haven't agreed on terms. Hopefully someday soon it will happen!

[@beaugator]

Hellova journey fellas! Thanks for taking us along!