Russia plans to reassert itself as a major power in space by resurrecting the Buran space shuttle, a relic of the Soviet era. It will pay for the development programme in part by taking more space tourists like Dennis Tito up to the space station. “Buran is the only launcher with a 100-tonne payload,” says Leonid Gurushkin. “By extending the length we can carry 200 tonnes. There is no alternative to Buran and I don’t see any coming.”