> In the ‘70s and ‘80s, Russian KGB spies systematically stole NASA shuttle designs and smuggled them back to their motherland, as detailed in a 1997 NBC News investigation by journalist Robert Windrem. Later, as America tested its new cosmic vessel, Soviet aircraft and satellites flew reconnaissance missions to aide their own carbon copy.
Don't forget the shuttle was public. Wouldn't you look at the other team's progress if they publish it for everyone to see? It's stupid not to. Especially when you are given the exact same goal. And huge financial constraints and time pressure so you can really avoid mistakes that way. Avoid spending unnecessary money. Improve safety.
And the Concordski had a lot more similarity than just the wings.
I'm not even saying only Russia did this. America did too as this article claims (and don't forget the Glomar Explorer). And these are only the headline making ones.
What makes it a copy is the significant functionality that was copied, stuff that wouldn't be informed by the "It's a spaceplane so it has to be a certain shape" function.
Things like the split rudder speed brakes that are open at about 15% on touch down, which is identical to US Shuttle performance. Things like using basically the exact same "Conical" energy management flight procedures on landing. Having a very similar landing localizer system.
That and nearly everything people mention that differentiates Buran from the US Shuttle never actually existed. Things like "It could carry ten people" or "it has ejection seats for everyone" were never built. The only Buran program shuttle to actually go to space had no systems for human life support and no ability to add it after the fact. That's the entire reason it was "Fully" automated BTW, because they wanted an uncrewed test. The "Buran" with jet engines was only a singular test article used for exclusively atmospheric tests that was not added to the space capable vehicle. The vehicle that made the spaceflight didn't even have functioning payload bay doors.
