on Long term the Energiya Rocket family
had to replace rokets like Proton, R-7 Soyuz, R-7 Molniya-M
with Zenit, Energiya-M and Energiya-Uragan
(a completely reusable and would be able to land on a conventional airfield.)
http://k26.com/buran/Info/Energia_HLV/energia_fly_back_booster.html
But The Buran program and Energija Rocket
died after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Why ?
First: lot parts were build now abroad
like in Ukraine, the Boosters of Energia the Zenit rocket.
Second: the Buran project manager was one of the 1991 coup plotters
one reasion why new president Boris Yeltsin cancels Buran project
so WI the Soviet Union was still there ?
The 1991 Soviet coup world
the Cold War had gone on and Energija had launch a fleet of Polyus Combat Sats in orbit
supplied and maintained by Buran Shuttle
a reform Soviet Union or Commonwealth of Independent States
This would be a more civilian program
Mir and Mir-2 Space Station supplied and maintained by Buran Shuttle
mabye Lunar flights
this had be ironic
in 2003 USA ask the USSR for Help
and send Buran to U.S. Space station Freedom
after Space Shuttle Columbia disaster...