Soviet lunar module. Russian Moon Mastering Program

At first, a two-stage rocket version was created. When the third stage was still designed, the man was proposed to make the flight of the moon with the help of a three-step UR-500K - it will be able to in-orbit up to 19 tons and one-volume manned ship (LC), which will be fully assembled on Earth and will not require any docks on orbit. This idea formed the basis of the report made by the man in 1964 in the OKB-52 in the presence of Queen, Keldysh and other outstanding designers. The project caused a sharp rejection from the queen. He, of course, not without reason, he believed that his KB (in contrast to the Homeyeevsky) has the real experience of creating manned ships, and the designer did not please the prospects to share cosmonautics with competitors. However, the anger of the queen was directed not so much against the LC, as against the UR-500. After all, this rocket clearly inferior in reliability and worked out of the well-deserved "seven", and on the other hand, had three to four times less carrying capacity than the future H-1. That's just where is she, H-1?

Lx700 ship landing platform (layout). She was standing on the moon.

It was a year that could be said was lost for the Soviet lunar program. Continuing to work on their precast ship, Korolev actually came to the conclusion about the insolvency of this project. At the same time, in 1965, with the help of the UR-500, the first of four "protons" was derived to the orbit - severe is weighing from 12 to 17 tons. P-7 would not be under power. In the end, the queen had to be called, to step on his own song and go with the man on a compromise.

1) Direct landing. "The use of a direct flight scheme without docking in orbits of the ISS or ISL, on the one hand, sharply simplifies the task, reduces the cost and development time and increases the reliability of the task, and on the other, allows you to use the ship as a transport. With an increase in cargo traffic on the moon, the only possible flight scheme will be a direct scheme in which the entire ship (or the entire useful load) is delivered to the surface of the moon in contrast to an unprofitable flight circuit with docking in orbit, where most of the cargo remains in the orbit of the moon (from the text of the sketch Project).
2) Lunar bases. The UR-700-LK700 complex was designed not only for disposable landing on the moon, but also to create Lunar bases on the satellite. The base of the base was planned in three stages. The first launching on the surface of the moon is delivered by a heavy unmanned stationary moon base. The second launch on the moon is delivered by the crew on the LK700 ship, while the base is used as a lighthouse. After planting the ship, his crew goes into a stationary base, and the ship can be preserved before reverse flight. The third launch is delivered by a heavy lunokhod, in which the crew makes expeditions on the moon.

How to split failure

On September 8, 1965, a technical meeting was convened in OKB-1, which was invited by the leading designers of the Chelomeyevsky KB, headed by the general designer themselves. Chaired at the Korolev Meeting, who acted as a major report. Sergey Pavlovich agreed that for the project of the village of Luna, the UR-500 is promising "seven", and offered the man to focus on the revision of this carrier. At the same time, the development of the ship for the lunch of the moon he intended to leave.

The huge authority of the queen allowed him to protort his ideas. In order to "concentrate the forces of design organizations", the leadership of the country decided to stop working on the draft LC. In the flight around the moon, the ship was to go 7k-L1, which will raise the UR-500K from the ground.

In the pictures - archival photos of the full-size ship layout in the starting configuration and the version of the lunar landing.

On March 10, 1967, the Royal-Chelomeyev Tandem started with Baikonur. Since 1967 to 1970, twelve 7k-l1, having the status of lunar probes, was launched. Two of them went to the near-earth orbit, the rest - to the moon. Soviet astronauts were looking forward to - well, when some of them are lucky enough to go to the night shining on board a new ship! It turned out that never. Only two flights of the system passed without comment, and in the remaining ten were marked serious malfunctions. And only twice the cause of failure was the UR-500K rocket.

In such a situation, nobody decided to risk human lives, and in addition, the unmanned tests were so dragging that during this time the Americans had already managed and flew the moon, and even fall on her. 7K-L1 works were discontinued.

Hope for a miracle

It seems that few of us did not ask the question painful for the national consciousness: so why is the country who started the first satellite into space and sending Gagarin to the orbit, lost the lunar race with the "dry account"? Why is equally unique as H-1, the superheavy rocket Saturn V worked in all flights to the moon "like a clock", and our "hope" did not bring a kilogram even to an near-earth orbit?

One of the main reasons has already called the successor Queen V.P. Mishin. "The construction of the production and stand base, he said in an interview with the Pravda newspaper, was late for two years. Yes, and then trimmed. Americans could have a whole motor unit on their stands assembly and to put on the rocket without a bulkhead, send it to the flight. We were tested on pieces and thinking did not dare to run 30 of the first stage engines in full assembly. Then the assembly of these pieces, of course, without a guarantee of pure wipes. "

It is known that for flight tests of the rocket H-1 on the cosmodrome a whole plant was built. Giant dimensions of the rocket did not allow it to be transported by finished steps. The rocket is literally completed before the start, including welding work. In other words, the Americans had the opportunity to work out their systems and eliminate malfunctions during land trials and send a ready-made product into the sky, and the royal designers had only to hope that the "raw", complicated and insanely dear rocket suddenly take and fly. And she did not fly.

Rocket H-1 (OKB-1, left). From February 1969 to November 1972, four starts of this rocket were produced, and they all ended in failure. The fundamental difference between the H-1 rocket from the OKB-52 projects is to use oxygen-kerosene engines for the design of KUZnetsov KB. The NK-33 engines created for the first stage (there were 30 there were, and they were placed in a circle), survived the Soviet lunar project and still used both in Russia and in the United States and Japan. Rocket VP-700 with yard RO-31 (center). Perhaps one of the most exotic projects of the Soviet lunar program. According to the calculations of the authors of the draft project, the use of nuclear jet engines in the third stage would significantly increase the mass of the useful cargo derived in orbit. Raising cargo to 250 tons, such a rocket could be involved in the construction program of lunar bases. And at the same time, to threaten the earth with a drop from the sky of the speaker. Rocket UR-700K (OKB-52, right). The project of this superheavy vehicle was based on the elements of the UR-500K rocket, subsequently known as the Proton. In the field of power plants, by Manuma worked with KB Glushko, developed powerful engines on highly toxic fuel: amyl (diazot tetraoxide) and heptyl (asymmetrical dimethylhydrazine). The use of poisonous fuel is one of the reasons why Proton did not take ships with crew on board into space. All finished blocks, of which the rocket of the UR-700 could be collected on the cosmodrome, fit into the dimensions of 4100 mm, which allowed them to transport them on railway platforms. So it was possible to avoid the completion of the rocket at the start site.

Direct landing

In Chelymaya, the Eternal Rival Queen, and there was an alternative. Even before the unsuccessful launches of the N-1, in 1964, Vladimir Nikolaevich proposes to send an expedition to landing on the moon using an UR-700 carrier. Such a rocket did not exist, however, according to the thoughts of Cheruya, it could be developed in a very short time on the basis of the serial elements of the elements from the UR-500 rocket. At the same time, the UR-700 would be superior to the power not only H-1, which in the hardest version would be capable (theoretically) to bring 85 tons of cargo to the near-earth orbit, but also the American Saturn. In the basic version of the UR-700 could be lifted in orbit about 150 tons, and more advanced modifications, including with a nuclear engine for the third stage, would increase this figure to 250 tons. Since all blocks of the UR-500, and therefore And the UR-700 fit into the enabaris of 4100 mm, they could be transported without any problems from factory workshops on the cosmodrome, and there only to docile, avoiding welding works and other complex production processes.

In January 1969, the CIA received information from the informants from Moscow that the USSR is preparing for a special operation in order to break the flight of American astronauts to the moon. Tips allegedly intend with the help of powerful electromagnetic radiation generators cause interference inboard electronic equipment spacecraft "Apollo" during his takeoff and lead him to a catastrophe. President Richard Nixon gave an order to hold an over-secret operation "Crossroads" in order to prevent any suspicious activity of Soviet ships off the US Coast during the starts of Apollonov.

At that time, the "Moon Race" was nearing his junction, and it was already obvious that the victory in her would get the United States. In December 1968, the triumphal deployment of the moon was made by F. Borman, J. Lovelle and V. Anders at Apollon-8. In May 1969, T. Stafford, J. Yang and Yu. Sernan on Apollon-10 had flown the moon several times, worked out all the stages of dyeing and docking, reducing and lifting the lunar cabin, except for the landing on the moon and takeoff from her. While in the USSR about any launch into space was announced only by post-facts, the Americans appointed the days of the start of their ships in advance, inviting press and television from around the world. Therefore, everyone knew that on July 16, 1969, the start from the J. Kennedy Cosmodrome "Apollona-11" was scheduled, which will fly to the moon.

The Soviet lunar program hopelessly lagging behind. When "Apollo-8" flew off the moon, the ship was just preparing for such an edge, and the ship for landing on the moon was not at all. After the successful flight of Americans around the Moon, the Soviet leadership decided to refuse from the manned deployment of the Moon, which now could not have a big effect. But the US administration was not sure that the USSR decided to just give up without a fight in the "lunar race", and expected some "dirtyness" from him to prevent Americans with triumph to defeat her. After all, in the US, the landing on the moon was the idea of \u200b\u200bFix National Prestige for the 1960s.

At that time, the Soviet ships of radio-electronic intelligence, the furrowing of the World Ocean and the interception of NATO communications signals were masked for fishing seiners. This trick was already known to NATOs, and those, in turn, constantly tracked the movement of these "fishing fleets" under the red flag. In early 1969, an increase in the activity of the Soviet fleet near the American shores was noted. There are now constantly on duty of two Soviet ship RER, and in May 1969, during the flight "Apollo-10", already four. "This is not good," they decided in American intelligence services. At the time of the Mission "Apollona-11", in July, there were large-scale measures to counter the possible "goat of the Russians".

The American special services believed (or did the view that believed) that a strong electromagnetic pulse directed to the rocket takes off is able to cause an irreparable failure of its equipment and, ultimately, its catastrophe. Theoretically, it seems possible, although no one has conducted practical experiments (more precisely, no one reported about them). To the appointed day of the rise - July 16 - the US Navy ships and coast guard aviation were shown in a state of combat readiness. In the area of \u200b\u200bCape Canaveral, seven American submarines were on duty. American ships of the radio electronic struggle should have been, in addition to the constant tracking of the activities of Soviet ships, put powerful interference to them at different frequencies. Combat vessels and aviation were ordered to open fire on defeat if suspicious activity will proceed from Soviet courts. President Nixon had a harvested draft directive of the application against the USSR strategic nuclear power. He had to sign it if "Apollo-11" failed due to the use of electromagnetic super-beads.

Americans did not seem unnecessary. To the announced day off the shores of Florida "Fishing" is already seven Soviet "seiners"!

So, the start of Apollo was appointed 8 hours 32 minutes in the morning of the Atlantic States of the United States. Exactly at 8 am, American radars recorded the inclusion of radar equipment on Soviet courts on full power. At 8:05 am Washington received an order of the 2nd Fleot of the United States to put all combat systems in full readiness. At 8:10, American aircraft Reb "Orion" began the deployment of Soviet courts, and the combat ships began rapprochement with "captors" to be ready to open fire at any time.

At 8:20, the intensive jewelry of the equipment of Soviet courts by creating interference began. From 8:32 to 8:41 Two steps "Saturn-5" successfully brought the third step together with the Apollo-11 ship on the near-earth orbit. At 8:45 Soviet ships reduced the level of its radar activity to normal. Two minutes later, American rebn services arrived a removal signal. At 8:50, American ships and aircraft began to leave the place of events.

As details soviet operation Classified so far, no one can say that it was. After all, the Soviet ships of REP really showed high activity at this time! If it was not an attempt to knock down from the course "Apollo", then what could it be? Put forward two versions.

According to one, the Soviet vessels of radio electronic intelligence collected information about the "Apollo" flight with the aim of establishing whether he really went to space (after all, it is possible that the conspiracy version about the possibility of drawing American flights, so popular today, was already born then!). According to another, the USSR deliberately imitated its activity to force Americans once again to crumble. By the way, the US budget did not seem to have costs: the costs of the "crossroads" accounted for 230 million of the then dollars - almost 1% of the total cost of the Apollo program. Sometimes they are added that the information about the preparing advice of special operations against Apollo was a skillful misinformation, specially brushed from Moscow. Is it so - while only guessing.

In the previous article about the film "Apollo 18" mentioned the Soviet lunar module "Progress". According to the description of the film it is on it the only one soviet cosmonaut Arrived on the moon before Americans (or a little later) and heroically died, fighting for life with an alien threat.

In fact, the Soviet module is an almost accurate copy of the L3 project, the development of which was carried out from 1963, and the name "progress" was not given to him, but a new rocket carrier. In principle, in the context of the film, such details do not have the values \u200b\u200band it is necessary to pay tribute to American colleagues in cinema - L3 was made simply on "excellent." And therefore, about this design it is necessary to tell more.

So, as mentioned earlier, the development of the Luna landing module L3 began in 1963, almost simultaneously with the deployment of the Soyuz program. It was they who had to deliver the Soviet cosmonauts to the moon, but it was not possible to bring this work to the end. As a result, the "unions" became famous as a means of delivering astronauts different countries on the near-earth orbit. As for the luna landing module L3, its fate has developed as follows.

Due to the lack of a suitable carrier power, engineers had to be limited to the layout scheme calculated only on one astronaut. Compare the size of the Soviet and American lunar modules (drawing).

Structurally L3 (called also the LC - the lunar ship), consisted of two sections:

- Moonlight: Cosmonaut's seat was located at the rear wall, on the right and left of the controls were placed, a large round porthole was made in the center;
- Instrument module: had a disk shape, it was placed in the control system, radio engineering, power management system and equipment to ensure docking.

The most narrow place of the LC, not counting his modest dimensions, was the impossibility of a direct transition of the cosmonaut from Lock (lunar orbital ship, which was supposed to deliver an expedition). In other words, the scheme of action after the exit to the near-earth orbit was as follows.

Cosmonauts put on Spacks different types (Pilot Lok - "Orlan", the pilot of the LC - "Breet-94") and switch to the household compartment, which is further used as a gateway.

Next, the pilot of the LC, I use the handrails, goes on the outer surface of the LOX to your ship. For greater convenience, both hatches were placed against each other. After that, the LC is separated from Lock and descends to the surface of the moon.

At an altitude of 16 km, brake engines are included, and at an altitude of 3-4 km from the module, an overclocking unit "D" is separated, after which the LC performs a "dead loop".

Such tricks were necessary so that the landing radar of the lunar ship does not accept the separated block "d" for the lunar surface and before the time did not work the automatic switching on the missile block "E". Directly landing was carried out by the pilot of the LC, who had to use both automatic and manual control system.

Resting and checking the work of the equipment. Cosmonaut went on the lunar surface for collecting samples. The "Kretche-94" skate was designed for 4 hours of autonomous stay on the moon. During this time, the cosmonaut had to install scientific instruments on the moon and the USSR State Flag, collect samples moon soil, Conduct a television report, photo and filming of the landing area.

Having spent on the moon no more than 24 hours a cosmonaut was supposed to leave the planet. At the start, both engines of the "E" block were included, and in the case of a regular work, one of them was subsequently disconnected. Then the LC went to the lunar orbit and with the help of the "Contact" system made a docking with Lock. Next, all the actions of the cosmonaut were carried out in reverse orderAs before going to the moon. Return trip No more than 3.5 days should be held on Earth, and the total duration of the expedition was calculated for 11-12 days.

As we see, American filmmakers are in many ways the right. The LC module lifted in the crater on the sunny side and the Soviet cosmonaut, apparently performed the main part of the stay program on the lunar surface. By the way, not only the LC itself was played well, but also the Skrad-94 skate.

For a more detailed study of this topic there is a separate article "Spacelers for the Soviet Moon Program" (PDF format). Now only modules for bench tests remain from this epocal program and one of the samples of the Skrad-94 Speakers. The latter, and, is a museum exhibit, which cannot be said about the LC module.

Under the curtain of the story about the Soviet luna module LCs - several frames from the film "Apollo 18". We look, we appreciate, enjoy ...

The program is compiled by the Institute space studies RAS, on behalf of Roskosmos in 2014. Iki proposes to use the moon as a scientific polygon for large-scale astronomical and geophysical studies. It is proposed to create an optical observatory on the moon and an automatic radio gear-interferometer, consisting of separate receivers distributed over the surface of the moon. Despite the fact that the program was not officially published, its main provisions were undoubtedly taken into account when developing a federal space program for 2016-2025.

The program of studying and mastering the moon is divided into steps united by a common strategic goal and differing in methods of work on the moon. In total, four stages of work on the moon are allocated, although the experts themselves talk about three, since the latter in their program is not considered.

First stage: 2016-2028

Until 2028, it is supposed to study the Moon with automatic stations, a site selection for expanding the presence of a person. It is already known that she will be on southern PoleHowever, the exact location will be selected only after the automatic missions will provide all the information about the resources required to supply the future base, including energy (sun illumination), the presence of ice, etc.

Learn more about all spacecraft, which are planned to be sent to the Moon at the first stage, you can read in the subsections of this page. In addition, until 2025 it is planned to begin a sketching of automatic research stations of the new generation, which will be able to start exploring the moon in the second half of the next decade and After 2030.

Scientific tasks

- study of the composition of the substance and physical processes on lunar poles
- study of the processes of the interaction of cosmic plasma with the surface and properties of the exosphere on the lunar poles
- Research inner structure Moon methods of global seismometry
- Study of cosmic rays of ultrahigh energies

Second Stage: 2028-2030

The second stage is transitional. Program developers expect that by this time the country has a superheavy-class carrier rocket with a carrying capacity of about 90 tons (at a low orbit of Earth). For these years, the exploration of operations on landing on the moon of the piloted expedition is planned. Size flights are assumed to an incense orbit on the new ship PTK NP, the near-car docks of the ship with fuel modules and a reusable with a runway. The latter will have to pick up the samples of ice-flowing soil from the surface of the moon several times, which cosmonauts will be able to deliver to Earth. The operation program includes and refueling the runway in the orbit of the moon.

Third Stage: 2030-2040

During this period, the Lunar Polygon should be created with the first elements of the infrastructure. Pilotous flights are expected only in the form of short-term visiting expeditions. The purpose of the cosmonauts will be the maintenance of technology, machinery and scientific equipment.

Fourth Stage: Over the Planning Horizon

After 2040, a permanent lunar base with elements of an astronomical observatory should be built on the basis of the lunar polygon. Base workers will deal with the monitoring of the Earth, experiments on the use of lunar resources, the development of new space technology necessary for expeditions to far space.

Why didn't we be on the moon? Most often you can hear about the imperfection of the technological base of the Soviet industry, which was unable to create a rocket and spacecraft for the lunar project. It was reported that in the lunar race the Soviet Union was doomed to the loss in front of the United States. But it is not so. The main reason for the failure of the most expensive space project (4 billion rubles in the prices of 1974) was the inconsistency of the actions of various departments, and the ambitions of a number of leaders of that period.

Why did we need a moon?

In fact, the Soviet Moon program was a symmetrical answer to the American lunar program. The moon was absolutely not interested in the leaders of the OKB-1 Queen and the N-1 missile project, was an upgraded version of the earlier royal project. Designed to deliver the hydrogen super bomb and for the withdrawal of large orbital complexes, the dimensions of which were to be several times higher than the "alliances" and "peace" appeared. Realizing the lunar program was economically absolutely impractical.

But the Central Committee of the CPSU decided to accept the challenge of the Americans. In 1960, a decree of the Government Decree of June 23, 1960 "On the creation of powerful carrier missiles, satellites, spacecraft and the development of outer space in 1960-1967" It was envisaged in 1960. design and design study and the necessary amount of research in order to create a new space rocket system in the coming years with a starting weight of 1000-2000 tons, which ensures the conclusion in orbit around the Earth of the heavy interplanetary space

ship weighing 60-80 tons, powerful liquid rocket engines with high characteristics, religion on liquid hydrogen, nuclear and electrical engineactive engines, high-precision systems of autonomous and radio engineering, systems of space radio communications, etc., but in 1964, the Central Committee of the CPSU sets A new goal is to carry out a piloted expedition to the Moon before the United States will deliver to the moon of their astronaut.

Boots of fate

The first heavy test for the project was the personal conflict between Queen and Glushko and the refusal of the latter from the development of engines for the lunar rocket. Urgently, it was decided to impose engines to the design bureau under the leadership of Kuznetsov.

According to Glushko, the creation of the engine with the necessary dimension on oxygen could be dragged into the problems of ripple burning and protection of the walls of the chamber and nozzles from overheating. In turn, the use of long-term components giving in the chamber of the Sustainable burning chamber with a temperature of 280 - 580 degrees. With lower than oxygen fuel, it will accelerate the engine testing. In addition, EDD was obtained constructively easier.

Assessing the arguments of Glushko, Korolev wrote in a report on the name of the head of the expert commission as follows: "All the arguments about the difficulty of testing the oxygen engine is based on the experience of OKB V. Glushko at work with the Open Scheme. It should be emphasized that these difficulties have nothing to do with the engines taken for the Rocket H-1 of the closed scheme, in which the oxidizing agent enters the combustion chamber in the hot and gaseous state, and not in cold and liquid, as with a normal, unlocked scheme. Indeed, when the engines of the closed circuit starts, the thermal ignition of components in the combustion chamber due to heat of the hot gas oxidizer - oxygen or at. This method of launching an oxygen-kerosene engine of a closed circuit was experimentally worked in OKB-1 engines and adopted for the last stage of the "Lightning" pH, as well as in N. Kuznetsov OKB in the development of oxygen-kerosene engines of the NK-9B and NK-15B for the rocket one". The expert commission took the side of the queen. Glushko did not forgive this queen. He supports the General Designer of the Chelomaea, in his project a Giant Rocket of the UR-700, Alternatives to H-1 on its own development engines. But the scientific commission under the leadership of Academician Keldysh preferred the project H-1 OKB-1, since design work By that time, H-1 was almost completed.

In the decision of August 3, 1964, it was first determined that the most important task in the study of the outer space using the N1 carrier missile is the development of the moon with disembarking expeditions on its surface and the subsequent return of them to the Earth.

The main developers of the luna system L3 were:

- OKB-1 - a head organization according to the system as a whole, the development of rocket blocks of r and d, engines for the block D and the development of the lunar (LC) and lunar orbital (Lok) of ships;

- OKB-276 (N.D. Kuznetsov) - on the development of the engine of the block r;

- OKB-586 (M.K. Yeangel) - to develop a rocket unit E of the lunar ship and the engine of this block;

- OKB-2 (A.M.Saev) - on the development of the motor installation (Baki, GG system and engine) of the block and the lunar orbital ship;

- NII-944 (V.I. Kuznetsov) - on the development of the L3 system management system;

- NII-885 (M.S. Razansky) - on the radio system;

- GSKB Spetsmash (V.P. Barmin) - on the complex of ground equipment L3 system.

The timing of the start of the LCA was identified - 1966 and the implementation of the expedition 1967-1968.

At this point, an important adjustment in the development of a rocket is made. In order to ensure the delivery of the cosmonaut one launch of Korolev adapts H-1 to new conditions with almost "from the knee." The L3 project takes the type that does not change to the closure of the lunar program. From the previous scheme (with a straight fit without separation into orbital and landing modules) a new version was favorably distinguished by its mass. Now it was enough to start H 1, though for this it was necessary to raise its lifting capacity by 25 tons. A 91.5-ton complex L3 would be displayed on an intermediate near-earth orbit with a height of 220 km and an inclination of 51.8 o. Here the apparatus could be up to 1 day for which the last preparations were made. Gradually accounted for an understanding of the complexity of the task.

Next strike - restriction of funding. Korolev could not finance the financing of a number of important elements of the project, one of which was a ground stand for testing the block of the first-stage engines - the country's leadership considered it excess, while in the Appolon project, this stand was. The head of the test department of the project "Saturn-5" - "Apollo" K. Müller was able to prove that there is only one way to successfully solve the task: a complete terrestrial study of the entire system in all possible staff and abnormal situations. It fell by bones for 2/3 of the funds released to the project to invest in creating stands for working out and achieved a positive result: in fact, all the "Saturn-5" launches were successful. Motors of the first stage of H-1 (and there were 30!) It was practiced separately and never in a single block on the test stand. The development of engines "by living" would certainly delay the implementation of the project.

Immediately make adjustments to the operation of engines to reduce the number of problems during test flights. The automatic engine thrust correction system was developed, which made it possible if one or more of the engines fail, to transfer the load to others is balanced. Subsequently, lattice aerodynamic steeringons were also applied (this technology was used to use 10 years later in rockets for interceptor fighters). Distinctive feature H-1 became unique for our pH of that time massive returns for useful freight. The carrier scheme was worked on this (tanks and frames were not formed a single whole), a relatively small layout density due to huge spherical tanks led to a decrease in the payload. On the other hand, an exceptionally small tank specific mass, the extremely high characteristics of the engines and the design solutions allowed to increase it.

In 1966, Korolev dies on the operating table - OKB-1 headed by his permanent deputy - Mishin. Everyone is already clear that in 1968 it will not be possible to get to the moon and in 1969 it seems too. Calculations were made for 1970.

At the first stage, 30 engines were installed along two concentric circles. Although the engine showed itself rather reliable, most of the problems were caused by vibrations and other unaccounted effects associated with simultaneous operation of such a number of engines (the absence of a complex test bench was affected by money).

Academician Vasily Mishin (part of the interview):

- Vasily Pavlovich, they say that in due time Korolev promised: "In the year of the fiftieth anniversary Soviet power Soviet people will be on the moon! " Do not remember, under what circumstances did it happen?

- Yes, anything like Roy never spoke about the moon. We would never have been able to land there before Americans. We had a thin, and there was no money. We were able to only remove the devices in orbit. And the flight to the moon is an order of magnitude more costs! Yes, we and the orbit were the first to be by chance. This propaganda is all ... The fact is that America - rich country, Americans could surpass us a long time ago. But they needed to return the lost prestige - after the first satellites and Gagarin. And Kennedy spoke in 1961 in front of the Congress and requested a 40 billion dollars on this event in order to plant Americans to the Moon and return them to Earth until the 70th year. The United States could take such huge costs at that time, and our country, undersonated after the war, could not allocate such funds. That's all.

- That is, they specifically chose the target and timing so that we must be ahead of?

- Well, yes ... and moreover, it is the program "Saturn-5-Apollo" with us pushed us. Before that, they were engaged in a rocket N-1 completely for other purposes, not for the moon. Planned to withdraw in orbit orbital station at 75 tons. And then, when the American single-section scheme became known (Saturn-5-Apollo project), the leadership of our country entrusted to develop a project of such an expedition to the moon with a return to the ground with three leading OKB, headed by Queen, Yangel and Manomem. As a result of the consideration of these projects, N 1-LZ project was chosen, developed by OKB-1 under the leadership of Sergey Pavlovich Queen. In particular, because the N-1 rocket was already developed and launched into production, it had only a few "restraint" - the starting mass increased from 2,200 tons to 3,000 yes, 30 engines instead of 24 at the first stage.

In parallel, work was carried out on the closer of the spacecraft. The most worked was the project of the KB Queen L1, through which a number of unmanned test flights were performed. This ship was similar to intended for flights near-earth orbit The ship "Soyuz-7K-OK" ("orbital ship"), a well-known public, simply as "Union". The main differences between the Soyuz-7K-L1 ship from Soyuz-7K-OK - the absence of an orbital compartment and the enhanced heat shield of the descent apparatus for entering the atmosphere with the second space speed. For the launch of the ship was used by the PH "Proton".

The entrance to the atmosphere above the southern hemisphere of the Earth was planned, while at the expense of aerodynamic forces, the descent apparatus was rising again into space, and its speed was reduced from the second cosmic to subborital. Repeated entrance to the atmosphere passed over the territory Soviet Union. Ships "Soyuz-7K-L1" made five unmanned test flights under the names "Zond-4 - 8". At the same time, the ships "Zond-5 - 8" performed the flight of the moon. Another four ships failed to bring into space due to accidents-carrier accidents "Proton" at the removal stage. (The prototypes of the Soyuz-7K-L1 ship were also launched, as well as several of its research modifications that are not related to the program of the pilot flying of the moon.) In the three flights of the "probes" of five had the scene, which would lead to the death of crew members or receiving They are injured if these flights were piloted. On the ship "Zond-5" were turtles. They became the first living creatures in the history returned to land after the lunch of the moon - three months before the flight "Apollo-8".

In the USSR there were a number of diverse landing projects on the moon: several launches and assembly of the moon ship at an near-earth orbit, a straight flight to the moon, etc., but before the test launch stage, the KB QB of QB of H1-L3 was brought. The project H1-L3 is based on american project "Apollo". Even the layout of the system at the stage of removal was similar to American: the lunar ship was in the adapter below the main ship, like the Moon Module of Apollo.

The main parts of the rocket and space system for landing on the Moon on the project H1-L3 were the moon orbital ship "Soyuz-7K-Lock", Luner Lux Ship and a powerful carrier rocket H1.

The crew of the ship "Soyuz-7K-Lok" consisted of two people. One of them was supposed to go through open space In the lunar ship and land on the moon, and the second is to wait for his comrade on an incense orbit.

The Soyuz-7K-Lock ship was installed for flight tests on the N1 carrier in the fourth (and last) start, but due to the carrier accident, it was not bred into space.

Lux Moon Ship: 1 - lunar landing unit, 2 - Rocket block "E", 3 - cosmonaut cabin, 4 - Life system blocks, 5 - Observation device when landing, 6 - orientation engine block 7 - radiator of the thermal control system, 8 - docking knot, 9 - aiming sensor, 10 - adjustment sensors, 11 - dashboard, 12 - television camera, 13 - omnidirectional antennas, 14 - power supplies, 15 - reference rack with shock absorber, 16 - Troop with shock absorber, 17 - planting radar, 18 - mounted dashboard, 19 - low-directional antennas, 20 - Antennas of the rapprochement system, 21 - television antennas, 22 - Engine pressed, 23 - main engine, 24 - Reflector, 25 - backup engine.

The control system was built on the basis of the BTSM and had a manual control system, allowing the cosmonaut to independently choose the landing site visually through a special porthole. The lunar landing device was a four-heat original design with cellular absorbers of the residual vertical landing speed.

The lunar ship successfully tested three times in an near-earth orbit in unmanned mode under the names of "Cosmos-379", "Cosmos-398" and "Cosmos-434".

Unfortunately, for many reasons, the test time is constantly shifted "to the right", and the implementation of the lunar program is "left". This, naturally, has affected the works that last quarter The 1960s took a completely abnormal pace. Nevertheless, it was assumed by conducting a rocket on the launch every three or four months, finish the flight tests and move to the planned operation of the complex in 1972-1973.

The first launch of the N1-L3 rocket and space complex occurred on February 21, 1969. As a result of a fire in the tail compartment and violations in the operation of the engine control system, which for 68.7 s gave a false command to turn off the rocket engines died. The second start of the H1-L3 complex was held four months later and also ended emergency due to the abnormal operation of the engine No. 8 of Blok A. As a result of the explosion, the starting complex was almost completely destroyed. And although they again sounded in favor of the unreliability of Kuznetsov engines and the design of the rocket, the cause of the catastrophe was in a hurry with the preparation of flight tests.

The Commission found out the following: while the suspensability of the NK -15 is registered with the bench operation to enter large (tens of mm) metal items into the oxidizing agent pump, which led to damage to the impeller, fire and explosion of the pump; Small metal objects (chips, sawdust, etc.), burning in the gas generator, led to the destruction of the turbine blades. Non-metallic items (rubber, rags, etc.) that have fallen onto the entrance, the engine stops did not cause. This result of reliability was not achieved even much later! An instance of 5l was referred to the first batch of flight products, which did not provide for installing filters at the entrance to the pumps. They were supposed to put on the engines of all rockets, starting with the carrier 8l, which was supposed to be used at the fifth start.

Reliability of EDD seemed insufficient Kuznetsov himself. Since July 1970, qualitatively new engines have begun to create qualitatively new engines in a reusable performance and with a significantly enlarged resource. However, they were ready only by the end of the 1972th, and flight tests were supposed to continue to continue on rockets with old LDD, control over which increased.

Due to damage to the starting complex and slowing down the pace of work, the preparation of the third flight test was delayed for two years. Only on Sunday, June 27, 1971, the rocket 6l started at 2 h 15 min 7 s Moscow time from the second, recently built, starting construction site of the Baikonur cosmodrome. All engines worked steadily. From the moment of separation, the telemetry recorded the abnormal operation of the Kreuu Management System.

Starting from the 39th second, the control system was not able to stabilize the media along the axes. On the 48th second, due to the exit to the core corners of the attack, the destruction of the pH began in the joint area of \u200b\u200bthe block "B" and the head fairing. The head unit separated from the rocket and, destroying, fell unconscious from the start. "Deadlied" The carrier continued uncontrollable flight. On the 51st second, when the angle of rotation on the roll reached 200 degrees., On the command from the terminal contacts of the horroplatelate, all the engines of the block "A" turned off. Continuing to collapse in the air, the rocket flew some time and fell 20 km from the start, leaving the funnel to the land with a diameter of 30 m and a depth of 15 m.

November 23, 1972, 17 months after an unsuccessful third attempt took place the fourth. An instance of 7l started from position No. 2 at 9 h 11 min 52 s Moscow time. For third-party observers, until the 107th second, the flight was successful. Engines worked steadily, all missile parameters were within the normal range. But some reasons for concern appeared on the 104th second. They did not even have time to give a value: after 3 s in the tail compartment of the block "A", a strong explosion stated the entire peripheral motor installation and destroyed the lower part of the spherical oxidant tank. The rocket exploded and crumbled in the air into pieces. But the performers themselves did not lose. They understood: everything is natural, the rocket learns to fly, the accident is inevitable. In the carrier 8l developers tried to take into account all previously obtained results of flight tests. The rocket was significantly sick, but her creators had no doubt that the explosions and fires of the block "A" will no longer be and the fifth attempt solves the task of flight of the unmanned expedition L-3 in a simplified scheme without landing on the lunar surface.

By the beginning of the 1974 rocket 8l was collected. At all its steps, the installation of new, reusable EDRs began. Thus, the NK-33 engine of the block "A" was an upgraded version of the NK-15 with significantly increased reliability and efficiency. The trouble-free terrestrial workout of all Easpanius gave confidence in a successful fifth launch of a rocket, scheduled for the IV quarter of 1974. On the rocket, the working version of the moon ship was installed on the rocket with all the necessary automation. It was planned to reach the flight of the Moon and the next flight it is possible to send an expedition.

Sad end

The removal of academician V.Mishina from the post of the head of the OKB-1 and the appointment in May 1974. V. Glushko in his place was unexpected for the whole team. The work on H-1 in the newly formed NGO "Energy" in the shortest possible time was fully cooled, the "lack of heavy payloads corresponding to the carrier carrying capacity" was officially the reason for the closing of the project. The production of rocket blocks, almost all equipment of technical, starting and measuring complexes was destroyed. At the same time, costs in the amount of 6 billion rubles were written off. (in the prices of the 70s) spent on the topic.

Glushko himself suggested at that time an alternative Energy project on new, not yet created engines. Therefore, he feared the successful launch of the rocket H-1 with a moon ship on board - it could cross all the plans of his team. Later, the creation of a rocket-like rocket took another 13 years and 14.5 billion rubles were spent.

The complex "Energy" was already created many later - 1987 and launched after the death of the chief designer. By the time the rocket turned out to be unnecessary and expensive in connection with the collapse of the USSR, and technical decision Bundles "Energy" - "Buran" obsolete, because the Americans launched a similar complex 8 years earlier. Tasks for its application no longer turned out. The cost and time limits of the project significantly exceeded those compared to the Queen's "lunar" project. "Energy" after several launches, of which two were partially successful, ceased to exist.

PH "Energy" at the start

Kuznetsov did not accept the removal of him from the work on the EDD and continued the bench tests of its engines. Ground tests were conducted in 1974-1976 until January 1977, according to a new program that requires confirmation of the performance of each EDD within 600 seconds. However, usually fire tests of single engines in the OKB continued 1200 s. Forty LDD worked from 7,000 to 14,000 s, and one NK-33 - 20 360 seconds. In the warehouses of the NPP "Labor" until 1995 stored 94 engines of blocks "A", "B", "B" and "G" Rockets N-1. It was surprising that Kuznetsov engines for the N-1 rocket exist so far and are still ready for work as at that distant time.

The Overclocking Block "D", developed by the Queen OKB for the H-1 missile, is still used when the proton rocket is launched.

Subsequently, Glushko also proposed the project of the expedition to the moon, including the creation of a long-term dwelling base, but the time of ambitious dreams has already passed. The complete lack of economic effect from the program affected the opinion of the leadership of the country - no one was going to fly to the Moon in the Soviet Union. Although it could be in July 1974.