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Energia
58.8m
Human (1.8m)
1.8m
Energia / Credits: Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons)
Soviet UnionRetired1987–1988
Energia
NPO Energia (Soviet Union)
The Soviet super heavy-lift rocket — launched Buran on its only crewless orbital flight.
Energia was the Soviet response to the Space Shuttle. It carried the Buran orbiter on its single uncrewed orbital flight in 1988. The program ended with the dissolution of the USSR.
Fun facts
The Soviet Buran orbiter — carried by Energia — completed two orbits of Earth fully automatically without a crew.
Energia had a higher LEO payload capacity than Saturn V — and could fly with or without an orbiter.
The programme ended with the dissolution of the USSR — completed rockets were sold for scrap or left to rust in hangars.
Height
58.8 m
Diameter
20 m
Mass
2,400 t
Stages
2
Thrust
35,100 kN
Payload LEO
100,000 kg
Payload GTO
—
Total flights
2
Success rate100.0%
2 success0 failure
No upcoming launches scheduled.
