The 1970s was a decade of intense space competition. Hot on the heels of the historic Moon landing, the United States initiated a program to develop reusable spacecraft for repeated human spaceflight. The Soviet Union, eager to regain lost ground, also started on their own space transportation ambitions.
While the Americans opted for a winged design, the Soviets initially pursued a different path with the MTKVA. Conceived by the renowned OKB-1 design bureau, the MTKVA was envisioned as a lightweight and robust lifting body spacecraft capable of carrying human crews.
Designed to launch atop the Vulkan rocket, the bullet-shaped vehicle featured a conical crew cabin, a cylindrical section, and an engine compartment. This unique configuration would have enabled the MTKVA to perform high-angle banking maneuvers at hypersonic speeds and cross-range maneuvering, allowing it to land on Soviet soil from various orbits.
The Soviet Union’s mid-1970s space program envisioned a colossal spacecraft, the MTKVA, designed to haul a staggering 80 tons of payload into orbit. This behemoth was intended to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere in a graceful glide, much like the American Space Shuttle.
However, its final descent would have been a dramatic spectacle, with parachutes deployed to slow its descent and retro thrusters guiding it to a vertical landing. Unfortunately, political winds shifted, and the MTKVA was sidelined in favor of the Buran, a Soviet copy of the Space Shuttle.
The Buran’s fate, however, was equally disappointing, as it never achieved its full potential, flying only once, unmanned. As a result, the MTKVA, a unique and ambitious project, was relegated to the annals of history.
Yet, thanks to the talented animation specialist Hazegrayart, we can now look into the past and witness the MTKVA in action. A fascinating six-minute computer generated video brings this lost dream to life, showcasing the spacecraft’s awe-inspiring capabilities and its potential to reshape space exploration.
