OK-KS

Airframe no.: 0.03

Energia designation: 3M

Alternative designations: OK-KS, KS-35

OK-KS — Orbitalnyy Korabl — Kompleksnyy Stend (Orbital Ship — Complex Stand)

Electrical analogue of a flight orbiter used for electrical and software tests and real-time tracking of orbiter flights. Before the delivery to NPO Energia in August 1983, the Gromov Flight Research Institute used 0.03 for air transportation tests aboard the Myasishchev VM-T Atlant with the payload mass gradually increasing from 45 to 50 tonnes.

Comprehensive Electrical Tests (KEI) were carried out on a test bench with OK-KS and testing equipment. OK-KS has a full set of onboard systems and equipment and is an electrical analogue of a flight orbiter. KEI checked the operability and interaction of onboard systems and were used in the development of onboard control system software. Additionally, KEI included testing of RF and EM compatibility and noise immunity of onboard system, performance of electrical systems and adequate current overprotection and fuse ratings, and specialist training for ground tests and flight tests. OK-KS was used to simulate emergency situations and develop recommendations for their elimination.

After work on the program stopped, no official decree assigned funds for dealing with the hardware, so NPO Energia was stuck with a bulky orbiter taking up valuable space in the assembly hall in Korolyov. In October 2012 the orbiter was wheeled outside of the assembly hall, initially with the aim of being exhibited at RKK Energiya, although that plan was later changed. Almost 34 years after delivery to Energia, OK-KS was officially handed over to the Sirius Science and Art Park in Sochi on June 27th 2017 and departed Energia premises on the night of June 29th. In early July, the orbiter arrived in Sochi and was reassembled and repainted to resemble a flight orbiter.