The history of the TU-144 has been eventful and complicated. Since the Soviet optimist forecast of the 60's until her (yes it was a she) short life as passenger transport there are two accidents (and many technical problems, a few solved more successfully than others). After the end of passenger service the future of the project became darker and the remaining aircrafts were relegated to flying laboratories in the 80's.

When the TU-144 program seemed totally cancelled, a new hope appeared after the signature with NASA and others US firms of a contract to develop a SST for the 21st century, this allowed that a TU-144 was returning to the sky in 1996 and was maintained in flight condition until 1999.