The Buran (Russian: Бура́н, IPA: [bʊˈran], Snowstorm or Blizzard) programme, also known as the VKK Space Orbiter (Russian: Воздушно Космический Корабль, Air Space Ship) programme, was a Soviet and later Russian reusable spacecraft project that began in 1974 at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute and was formally suspended in 1993.