Country Soviet Union Status unfinished | Named after Lake Baikal (?) Time spent in space Never flew in space | |
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Similar Ptichka, OK‑GLI, BOR‑5, Polyus, Kliper | ||
2.01 is the designation of the third space shuttle to be produced as part of the Soviet/Russian Buran program. It carried the GRAU index serial number 11F35 K3 and is - depending on the source - also known as "OK-2K1", "Orbiter K3", "OK 2.01" or "Shuttle 2.01". This Buran-class shuttle orbiter was never officially named, but known by its nickname Baikal. Its construction was not complete when the Buran program was ended (30-50 percent done), so it remains unfinished.
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Differences from OK-1K1
The 2.01 is the first of a second series of Buran-class shuttle orbiters. The main differences between the second series and the first operational Soviet shuttles are located in the cockpit, which has been improved using feedback from the earlier models of Buran-class shuttles, such as the flight of OK-1K1 and the construction of OK-1K2.
Projected flights
It was projected in 1989 that orbiter 2.01 would have its first manned space test flight in 1994, with a duration of twenty-four hours. The craft would have been equipped with a life support system and two ejection seats. Crew would have consisted of two cosmonauts — Igor Volk (commander) and Aleksandr Ivanchenko (flight engineer).
Post-retirement
After residing at the Tushino factory where it was constructed, it was incorrectly announced in 2006 that orbiter 2.01 would be put on display in the Sinsheim Auto & Technik Museum, Germany. However, the German Museum had actually bought OK-GLI, the jet-powered Buran atmospheric test vehicle, which will be on display in its own new hangar from September 2008.
Since 2004 the orbiter 2.01 had been left under open sky on a car park in Moscow, near Khimki Reservoir.
On 22 June 2011 during the day the orbiter was put on a barge to be moved to the MAKS 2011 international air show, which took place from 16 to 21 August in Zhukovsky (Moscow region). In the night of 22–23 June it was seen on the Moskva River. As of November 2013, it remained at the Ramenskoye–Zhukovsky Airport (55°33′06″N 38°08′40″E).