Russia's aging Buran space shuttle is being prepared for display in the German city of Speyer at the Technik Museum, which has bought the Soviet space programme relic for 10 million euros.

Dockers at the Dutch port of Rotterdam are working to mount the Russian space shuttle on a platform.

It took Hermann Layher, avid collector and director of the Technik Museum Speyer, almost a decade to find the Buran, and he finally discovered it in docks on the shore of the Persian Gulf.

It then took another three months for the shuttle to reach the Dutch docks.

Before being bought by the museum, the shuttle had been on tour in Bahrain and Australia where it was used as a tourist attraction.

“This is the second time we've loaded the Russian shuttle. The first time we prepared it was for its departure several years ago. And I must say it was in a much better condition back then,” says John Huvelet from the port of Rotterdam.
 
This model of the Buran (meaning ‘Blizzard’) is a prototype that has never been to space. It’s the last of the five prototypes used for test flights.

The Russian shuttle programme was closed down in 1993, and this Buran came into the possession of the Sultan of Bahrain.

Before joining the exposition 'Apollo and Beyond' in Germany the shuttle needs some renovation work. Its new owner hopes it'll go on show in late summer.