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En - er - she - ya Burr - on : A seemingly complex, but ultimately perfect,
name
for our collaboration of progressive individuals. It was selected by co-founder
Carrie Ann Sterrett.
Buran
was the given name
of a prototype robotics space shuttle built during the 1980s of the Energiya series of Soviet rockets
crafted by the
former U.S.S.R.
Energiya translates to Energy and Buran translates to a combination of the words Storm and Blizzard in English.
The enthusiasm we share for creative expression is very much an Energy
Storm of Artistic Endeavors!
The
Buran was an amazing achievement that improved greatly upon our own
Space Shuttle. Although it may appear to be nothing more than a
fraudulent copy of an American Shuttle, it was indeed technologically
far superior.
The U.S.S.R. appreciated the American Shuttle design, and it is said that imitation is the highest form of flattery.
However,
Buran had the advantage of far greater computing power available in the
mid - 1980s when it was being built. Tragically, it flew only
once in 1988. The collapse of the U.S.S.R. ended the effort to
perfect a reusable space robot of immense proportions.
In
fact, the Buran could operate automatically, requiring no human crew
members whatsoever. When it flew in 1988 it did so with an empty
cabin. There was no step - by - step control from the
ground. It was autonomous.
Had the United States been on
more friendly terms with the former U.S.S.R., our national efforts
could have combined, and perhaps the massive space stations dreamed of
in the 1970s may have become our reality.
If you happen to be
curious for more Russian shuttle data, a great place to
learn more about the shuttle Buran is on the Wikipedia Article about The Buran!
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