[MOC] Almaz space station

[Sunder]

Soviet 20-ton military manned space station, desined for photo and radio intelligence. It was equipped with several cameras, including infrared one and 1 meter camera "Agat-1". It also carried 23mm autocannon, which was tested in space just before deorbiting. It was the first and the only case of shooting in space. First concept supposed to use heavy cargo spacecraft TKS for resupply and crew rotation, but Soyuz was used instead. However, TKS was launched several times later uncrewed. Also ISS module Zarya is based on it.
Hull of unfinished Almaz stations (development of equipment was slow) were used for first "civil" space station DOS-1. Both Almaz and DOS series were called Salyut for press.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Almaz space station by Sunder_59, on Flickr

[Leonardo da Bricki]

Wow! The rendering is impressive! What did you use for it?

The model is excellent, lots of great detailing all around it.

[Sunder]

Thanks. I used Blender 3D + Mecabricks-to-Blender template.

[Space Police XVIII]

Very neat.  Nice use of the cruch parts.

[Sunder]

Almaz space station by Sunder_59, on Flickr

[greg3]

That looks awesome!! I love the way you've created the shape and details with some creative part usage... Great background info too (At least one of the unused capsules was bought by a private company (Excalibur or something similar) for use as a "space hotel" and stored here on the Isle of Man a few years ago!! I think the company eventually went bust and the capsules were taken away - I remember being stuck behind one being transported to the boat!!) 

Anyway, excellent work... Would make a great official set!! 

Edited June 5, 2017 by greg3

[icm]

This is a really spectacular build, with the detailing on each end and the nice smooth cylinder.  I'm especially impressed by how you got a large cylinder that's every bit as smooth as the first and second stages in 21309 Saturn V, but without using the most complicated SNOT techniques in that set.