[coolspot]

Both Buran and Shuttle have wings to be able to return significant mass from orbit and soft land with it.

Think snagging enemy’s secret sattelite from orbit and bringing it back for research.

[adamjb]

Delta wings aren't necessary for that. The Soviet's wingless first/early iteration of a Shuttle copy was designed to soft land with its 20 ton return payload by parachute, aided by retrorockets firing at the last moment.

https://falsesteps.wordpress.com/2012/10/06/mtkvp-glushkos-o...