The Soviet reach for the moon: The L-1 and L-3 manned lunar programs and the story of the N-1 "Moon Rocket"

The SovietReach for

TheMoon

The L-1 and L-3 Manned Lunar

Programs andThe Story of

the N-1 "Moon Rocket"

Author: Nicholas L. Johnson

Art Director: WilliamA. Ford Editor in Chief, Cosmos Books:

Dr. Wayne R. Matson

Second Edition

Copyright© 1995 Cosmos Books

ISBN: 1-885609-03-5

The story ofSoviet lunar exploration is one of three separate but complementary and contemporary programs: • The Luna program utilized automated space­ craft representing three generations ofspace technology; • TheL-l manned spacecraft ofthe Zond program were to circumnavigate the Moon; • The L-3manned lunarlanding program envisioned sending a lone cosmonaut to the lunar surface. Soviet lunar successes were many and historic: • First unmanned flyby ofthe Moon; • First impact of a man-made object on the Moon; • First photograph ofthe Moon's far side; • First soft-landing on the Moon; • Firstlunar satellite; • First automated return oflunar soil to Earth; • First robotic lunar rover.

~ On the Cover: The impressive lOO-m tall N-l/L-3 lunar rocket was launched unmanned from its special pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan but failed to reach orbit in all four attempts. ~ Inside front cover photos: (Clockwise from bottom left) the aft end of the N-l first stage with 30 main engines; N-l first stage being transported within the enormous vehicle assembly building at the Baikonur Cosmodrome; a cutaway ofthe 3-stage N -llaunch vehicle with its L-3 launch shroud; the third stage ofthe N-l with its four main engines; the second stage ofthe Ni-L with its eight main engines; the three N-l stages are mated for prelimi­ nary chechouts before being mated with a payload and transported to the launch pad. 2

* THE SOVIET REACH FORTHEMOON

Contents

1

The Initial Reconnaissance of ttle l\I\oon