Soyuz 7K-L1 No.4L [SEP] time of spacecraft launch
[{"answer": "27 September 1967", "provenance": [{"wikipedia_id": "12950159", "title": "Soyuz 7K-L1 No.4L", "start_paragraph_id": 2, "start_character": 0, "end_paragraph_id": 2, "end_character": 182, "bleu_score": 1.0, "meta": {}, "section": "Section::::Abstract."}]}]
Soyuz 7K-L1 No.4L


Soyuz 7K-L1 No.4L, sometimes identified by NASA as Zond 1967A, was a Soviet spacecraft which was launched in 1967 as part of the Zond programme. It was a Soyuz 7K-L1 spacecraft, the first of nine to be launched. Although it was intended to perform a circumlunar flyby of the Moon before returning to the Earth for landing, it failed to achieve Earth orbit. Soyuz 7K-L1 No.4L was launched at 22:11:54 UTC on 27 September 1967 atop a Proton-K 8K78K carrier rocket with a Blok
281307
Soyuz 7K-L1 No.5L


Soyuz 7K-L1 No.5L, sometimes identified by NASA as Zond 1967B, was a Soviet spacecraft which was launched in 1967 as part of the Zond programme. It was a Soyuz 7K-L1 spacecraft, the second of nine to be launched. It was intended to perform a circumlunar flyby of the Moon before returning to the Earth for landing, but failed to achieve Earth orbit. Soyuz 7K-L1 No.5L was launched at 19:07:59 UTC on 22 November 1967 atop a Proton-K 8K78K carrier rocket with a Blok D
20190092
Soyuz (spacecraft)


to the station. The Soyuz 7K-L1 was designed to launch a crew from the Earth to circle the moon, and was the primary hope for a Soviet circumlunar flight. It had several test flights in the Zond program from 1967–1970 (Zond 4 to Zond 8), which produced multiple failures in the 7K-L1's reentry systems. The remaining 7K-L1s were scrapped. The Soyuz 7K-L3 was designed and developed in parallel to the Soyuz 7K-L1, but was also scrapped. Soyuz 1 was plagued
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Soyuz 7K-L1


star navigation sensors for the far space navigation. The spacecraft was capable of carrying two cosmonauts. At the start of flight testing, there were serious reliability problems with the new Proton rocket, the 7K-L1, and the Soyuz 7K-OK that the L1 was based on. Chief Designer Sergei Korolev had originally envisioned a crewed lunar spacecraft launched in pieces by R-7 boosters and assembled in Earth orbit. The development of Vladimir Chelomei's large UR-500 booster theoretically made it possible to do the job in a single launch. However
20156904
Soyuz 7K-LOK


failed. The two aborted flights later proved that the launch-escape system worked when a similar problem on a Soyuz-U forced the Soyuz T-10a to be jettisoned with its cosmonaut crew in 1983 before the booster exploded on the launchpad, destroying it. On two early flights of the N-1, both of them failures, another Soyuz 7K-L1S "Zond-M" modification of the 7K-L1 spacecraft instead of the 7K-LOK or 7K-L1E were used without the dummy LK, and they, along with
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Soyuz 7K-L1


denied the existence of both. Near 1968 a rare open Soviet sources (Big Soviet Encyclopedia's Yearbook, Kosmonavtika small encyclopedia) sporadically referred to Zond's as tests of "space ships" for lunar missions in contrast to the "space apparate" term used by the Soviets for spacecraft not capable of carrying a crew. As of 1967, the Soyuz 7K-L1 launch schedule was: Mission In July 1968 it was proposed that L1 spacecraft would be launched every month, and the first crewed mission would be in December 1968
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Soyuz 7K-L1


breed afterwards. Two modifications of main Soyuz 7K-L1 "Zond" version were created: the powered (up to 7 tonne mass) Soyuz 7K-L1S "Zond-M" that were failed attempted to launch for Moon flyby on N1 rocket two times due to Soyuz 7K-LOK orbital ship-module of L3 lunar expedition complex was not ready; the Soyuz 7K-L1E "Zond-LOK" as dummy mockup of Soyuz 7K-LOK and were successfully launched on Low Earth Orbit on Proton rocket as Kosmos
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Soyuz 7K-L1


The Soyuz 7K-L1 "Zond" spacecraft was designed to launch men from the Earth to circle the Moon without going into lunar orbit in the context of the Soviet crewed Moon-flyby program in the Moon race. It was based on the Soyuz 7K-OK. Several modifications reduced vehicle mass and increased circumlunar capability. The most notable modifications were the replacement of the orbital module with a support cone and a high-gain parabolic antenna, the removal of a reserve parachute, and the addition of the gyro platform and
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N1 (rocket)


V also never lost a payload in two development and eleven operational launches, while four N1 development launch attempts all resulted in catastrophic failure, with two payload losses. February 21, 1969: serial number 3L – Zond L1S-1 (Soyuz 7K-L1S (Zond-M) modification of Soyuz 7K-L1 "Zond" spacecraft) for Moon flyby A few seconds into launch, a transient voltage caused the KORD to shut down Engine #12. After this happened, the KORD shut off Engine #24 to maintain symmetrical thrust
14321348
Kosmos 382


Kosmos 382 was a Soyuz 7K-L1E modification of a Soyuz 7K-L1 "Zond" spacecraft and was successfully test launched into Low Earth Orbit on a Proton rocket designated as (Soyuz 7K-L1E No.2) on December 2, 1970. The main purpose of the mission was to test the N1/L3 spacecraft's Block D lunar orbit insertion/descent stage by simulating the lunar orbit insertion burn, the lunar orbit circularization burn and the final lunar descent burn. Over the course of five days, the Block D
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Soviet crewed lunar programs


Launched by a 3-staged Proton rocket, the L1(Zond) was a spacecraft from the Soyuz family and consisted of two or three modified modules of the main craft Soyuz 7K-OK with a total weight of 5.5 tons. The Apollo orbital spacecraft (command ship) for the lunar flyby also had two modules (command and service) but was five times heavier, carried a crew of three and entered lunar orbit, whereas the L1 (Zond) performed a flight around the Moon and came back on a return trajectory. Planned for
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Soyuz 7K-L1 No.4L


D upper stage, flying from Site 81/23 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. A rubber plug came loose and lodged in some plumbing at liftoff, causing one first stage engine to shut off. The booster eventually lost attitude control and became unstable during flight, so the automatic shutdown command was sent at T+97 seconds and it crashed downrange. The spacecraft separated from the rocket by means of the SAS launch escape system, and came down between downrange. The next morning, recovery crews located the descent module, however approaching it was tricky due
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Soyuz 7K-LOK


The Soyuz 7K-LOK, or simply LOK ( meaning "Lunar Orbital Craft") was a Soviet crewed spacecraft designed to launch men from Earth to orbit the Moon, developed in parallel to the 7K-L1. The LOK would carry two cosmonauts, acting as a mother ship for the LK Lander which would land one crew member to the surface. It was part of the N1-L3 programme which also included the LK lander and the N1 rocket. Like the 7K-OK model, the 7K-LOK was divided into
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Soyuz 7K-L1


382 and failed launched for Moon orbiting on third N1 rocket. No official name for crewed Soyuz 7K-L1 "Zond" was adopted. According to Mishin's and Kamanin's memoirs, the names "Rodina" ("motherland"), "Ural" ("Ural mountains"), "Akademik Korolyov" ("academician Korolyov"). Also, "Zarya" ("dawn") and "Znamya" ("banner") were proposed for both lunar Soyuz 7K-L1 flyby and Soyuz 7K
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Soyuz 7K-L1


-LOK orbital ships. The information display systems (IDS) on the L1 was called "Saturn" and featured some differences from the standard 7K-OK "Sirius-7K" IDS. Along with the remaining 7K-L1S, the Soviet Moon-flyby program was closed in 1970 without the achievement of its crewed primary goal. The intended crewed use of L1/Zond spacecraft was documented in official Soviet sources at first time but from 1968 until 1989 this and the Moon-landing N1-L3 programs were classified and the Soviet government
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Soyuz-A


Sergei Korolev initially promoted the Soyuz A-B-V circumlunar complex ("7K-9K-11K") concept (also known as L1) in which a two-man craft Soyuz 7K would rendezvous with other components (9K and 11K) in Earth orbit to assemble a lunar excursion vehicle, the components being delivered by the proven R-7 rocket. Besides the Soyuz 7K spacecraft, the complex would feature a Soyuz 9K booster and a Soyuz 11K tanker with twin whip antennas. The 7K would have
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Zond 7


Zond 7, a formal member of the Soviet Zond program and unmanned version of Soyuz 7K-L1 manned Moon-flyby spacecraft, the first truly successful test of L1, was launched towards the Moon from a mother spacecraft (69-067B) on a mission of further studies of the Moon and circumlunar space, to obtain color photography of Earth and the Moon from varying distances, and to flight test the spacecraft systems. Earth photos were obtained on August 9, 1969. On August 11, 1969, the spacecraft flew
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Zond 3


Zond 3 was a 1965 space probe which performed a flyby of the Moon far side, taking a number of quality photographs for its time. It was a member of the Soviet Zond program while also being part of the Mars 3MV project. It was unrelated to Zond spacecraft designed for manned circumlunar missions (Soyuz 7K-L1). It is believed that Zond 3 was initially designed as a companion spacecraft to Zond 2 to be launched to Mars during the 1964 launch window. The opportunity to launch was missed, and the
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Soyuz 7K-T


The second generation of the Soyuz spacecraft, the Soyuz Ferry or Soyuz 7K-T, comprised Soyuz 12 through Soyuz 40 (1973-1981). In the wake of the Soyuz 11 tragedy, the spacecraft was redesigned to accommodate two cosmonauts who would wear pressure suits at all times during launch, docking, undocking, and reentry. The place of the third cosmonaut was taken by extra life-support systems. Finally, the 7K-T, being intended purely as a space station ferry, had no solar panels,
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Soyuz 7K-LOK


Zond" spacecraft and was successfully test launched into Low Earth orbit on a Proton rocket designated as Kosmos 382 (Soyuz 7K-L1E No.2) on December 2, 1970. Two other unsuccessful launches of dummy 7K-LOK (Soyuz 7K-L1E No.1) and operational (Soyuz 7K-LOK No.1) with dummy LKs were fulfilled atop the N-1 rocket in its later flights on June 26, 1971 and November 23, 1972 intended for lunar flybys. Both spacecraft were pulled and saved by the launch escape system when those boosters
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Soyuz (spacecraft)


which splashed down in the ocean. The Soyuz spacecraft has been the subject of continuous evolution since the early 1960s. Thus several different versions, proposals and projects exist. Sergei Korolev initially promoted the Soyuz A-B-V circumlunar complex ("7K-9K-11K") concept (also known as L1) in which a two-man craft Soyuz 7K would rendezvous with other components (9K and 11K) in Earth orbit to assemble a lunar excursion vehicle, the components being delivered by the proven R-7 rocket.
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Soviet crewed lunar programs


The Soviet crewed lunar programs were a series of programs pursued by the Soviet Union to land a person on the Moon, in competition with the United States Apollo program to achieve the same goal set publicly by President John F. Kennedy on May 25, 1961. The Soviet government publicly denied participating in such a competition, but secretly pursued two programs in the 1960s: crewed lunar flyby missions using Soyuz 7K-L1 (Zond) spacecraft launched with the Proton-K rocket, and a crewed lunar landing using Soyuz 7K-LOK
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Soyuz 7K-L1


spacecraft, which would be a modified Soyuz. This would be launched towards the Moon on a UR-500 topped with the Blok D stage under development by the OKB-1 Bureau. Korolev originally intended to piece together the lunar Soyuz in Earth orbit because he did not believe the UR-500 was powerful enough to launch the full vehicle or that it wouldn't be safe for the crew. However, when he died in January 1966, his successor as head of OKB-1, Vasily Mishin, argued that it was definitely possible to strip down the Soyuz
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Soyuz 7K-L1


first crewed flight of the L1/Zond spacecraft with Alexei Leonov and Valery Bykovsky planned for the end of 1970 was cancelled. In addition, the Proton booster was far from being human-rated and its poor launch record made it undesirable for crewed flights. All L1/Zond spacecraft made only uncrewed flights from 1967–1970, from (Zond 4 to Zond 8), and four of these five Zond flights suffered malfunctions. Test flights conducted around the Moon showed problems using their star sensors for navigation. These problems caused ballistic reentry due
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Zond 4


Zond 4, part of the Soviet Zond program and an uncrewed version of Soyuz 7K-L1 crewed Moon-flyby spacecraft, was one of the first Soviet experiments towards crewed circumlunar spaceflight. It was launched to test the spaceworthiness of the new capsule and to gather data about flights in circumterrestrial space. It was the first Soviet spacecraft to possess a computer, the 34 kg Argon 11. The spacecraft was successfully launched into a 354,000 km apogee orbit 180 degrees away from the Moon, It was launched away from the Moon probably
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N1 (rocket)


larger N1 combined with the new L3 lunar package based on the Soyuz 7K-L3. The L3 combined rocket stages, the modified Soyuz, and the new LK lunar lander were to be launched by a single N1 to conduct a lunar landing. Chelomei responded with a clustered UR-500-derived vehicle, topped with the L1 spacecraft already under development, and a lander developed by his design bureau. Korolev's proposal was selected as the winner in August 1964, but Chelomei was told to continue with his circumlunar UR-500/L1 work. When
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LK-1


LK-1 was a projected Soviet crewed lunar flyby spacecraft. It would be launched on a three-stage Proton launch vehicle. The project started in 1962 under the lead engineer Vladimir Chelomey, with the first flight planned for 1967. The LK-1 had its origin in several early 1960s spacecraft projects under the generic names of "kosmoplans" and "raketoplans". In 1965 the project was cancelled in favour of the Soyuz 7K-L1 spacecraft. Further developments came as the LK-700 direct-descent lunar lander program. The spacecraft consisted of
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Soyuz 7K-OK No.1


Soyuz 7K-OK No.1 was an unmanned spacecraft of the Soyuz program, originally intended to perform a rendezvous maneouver with Kosmos 133 (Soyuz 7K-OK No.2). After the Kosmos 133 mission failed, the rocket was moved to the launch pad on December 12, 1966 and scheduled to launch on December 14, 1966, 4 PM local time. At ignition, one of the strap-on boosters failed to start and so an automatic command shut down the core stage and remaining strap-ons. Launch personnel began safeing
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Soyuz 7K-L1


enough to launch it with the UR-500. With the first four uncrewed test starts (see below) being partially successful or unsuccessful, including two under common open name "Kosmos" as for any Soviet test spacecraft, the mission of 2–7 March 1968 and subsequent ones were the flights of the L1 spacecraft under the open designation "Zond" that were given by Soviets for test missions to far space. After the successful US Apollo 8 crewed flight around the Moon, the Soviet crewed Moon-flyby missions lost political motivation. The
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Zond 5


to starvation, and little affected by space travel. The Zond spacecraft was a version of the Soyuz 7K-L1 crewed lunar-flyby spacecraft. It was launched by a Proton-K carrier rocket with a Block D upper-stage to conduct scientific studies during its lunar flyby. Out of the first four circumlunar missions launched by the Soviet Union there was one partial success, Zond 4, and three failures. After Zond4's mission in March 1968, a follow-up, Zond 1968A, was launched on 23April.
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Proton-K


The Proton-K, also designated Proton 8K82K after its GRAU index, 8K82K, was a Russian, previously Soviet, carrier rocket derived from the earlier Proton. It was built by Khrunichev, and launched from sites 81 and 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The maiden flight on 10 March 1967 carried a Soyuz 7K-L1 as part of the Zond program. During the so-called "Moon Race" these Proton/Soyuz/Zond flights consisted of several uncrewed test flights of Soyuz spacecraft to highly
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Soviet crewed lunar programs


1969 (an attempt to upstage Apollo 11 by 13 days), resulted in the destruction of the rocket and the entire launch complex, which delayed the N1-L3 program for two years. In an automatic Moon flyby, these first two launches of the N1 carried the 7K-L1S spacecraft (modified 7K-L1). The dummy 7K-LOK (7K-L1E) and regular 7K-LOK with dummy LKs were used in the third and fourth launches. The complete L3 lunar expedition complex with the 7K-LOK and
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Soyuz-V


, it would have docked with the NO docking module of a waiting Soyuz 9K, and transferred over of fuel into the tug. Up to three Soyuz 11K tankers would have been launched per Soyuz 9K, each one carrying either propellant or oxidiser. The Soyuz 9K would then have been used to boost a manned Soyuz 7K or Soyuz 7K-P spacecraft into a higher orbit; the Soyuz 7K onto a circumlunar trajectory for manned Lunar exploration, and the Soyuz 7K-P into a higher orbit
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Soyuz 7K-L1 No.5L


upper stage, flying from Site 81/24 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. One of the rocket's second stage engines failed to ignite, which caused the launch to be aborted and the spacecraft to separate by means of its SAS launch escape system. The descent module came down downrange. Its landing motors fired prematurely, resulting in a harder landing than expected, and the spacecraft was subsequently dragged by its parachute. It was subsequently collected by a Mil Mi-4 helicopter. Prior to the release of information about its mission, NASA correctly identified that
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Soyuz 7K-OKS


Soyuz 7K-OKS (also known as Soyuz 7KT-OK) is a version of the Soyuz spacecraft and was the first spacecraft designed for space station flights. Its only manned flights were conducted in 1971, with Soyuz 10 and Soyuz 11. The two craft of the Soyuz 7K-OKS generation were modified from the original Soyuz 7K-OK. The new "probe and drogue" docking mechanism, which was first used by these two missions, featured an internal docking hatch that allowed for the first time internal transfer between
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Zond 8


Zond 8, a formal member of the Soviet Zond program and unmanned version of Soyuz 7K-L1 manned Moon-flyby spacecraft, was launched from an Earth orbiting platform, Tyazheliy Sputnik (), towards the Moon. The announced objectives of Zond 8 were investigations of the Moon and circumlunar space and testing of onboard systems and units. The spacecraft obtained photographs of Earth on 21 October from a distance of 64,480 km. The spacecraft transmitted flight images of Earth for three days. Zond 8 flew past the Moon on October 24
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Soyuz 7K-OKS


Soviet spacecraft. This "probe and drogue" docking mechanism introduced with Soyuz 7K-OKS is still in use today at the ISS. The external toroidal fuel tank, a holdover from the original lunar mission models of the Soyuz, was dropped from the 7K-OKS since it was unneeded for Earth orbital flights. The Soyuz 7K-OKS flew only twice, Soyuz 10 and Soyuz 11. On its maiden flight, the 7KT-OK successfully launched into earth orbit, but failed to dock completely with the Salyut 1 space
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Zond 6


Zond 6, a formal member of the Soviet Zond program and unmanned version of Soyuz 7K-L1 manned Moon-flyby spacecraft, was launched on a lunar flyby mission from a parent satellite (68-101B) in Earth parking orbit. The spacecraft, which carried scientific probes including cosmic ray and micrometeoroid detectors, photography equipment, and a biological payload (flies, bacteria and turtles), was a precursor to a manned circumlunar flight which the Soviets hoped could occur in December 1968, beating the American Apollo 8. However
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Soyuz 7K-OK


, but it was left empty on the first nine flights. After the spacecraft's purpose was changed to space station ferry duties, the tank was removed. Soyuz 7K-OK spacecraft had a "probe and drogue" docking mechanism to connect with other spacecraft in orbit, in order to gather engineering data as a preparation for the Soviet space station program. There were two variants of Soyuz 7K-OK: Soyuz 7K-OK(A) featuring an active "probe" docking port, and Soyuz 7K-OK(P) featuring a
20156880
Soyuz 7K-ST No. 16L


Soyuz 7K-ST No.16L, sometimes known as Soyuz T-10a or T-10-1, was an unsuccessful Soyuz mission intended to visit the Salyut 7 space station, which was occupied by the Soyuz T-9 crew. However, it never finished its launch countdown; the launch vehicle was destroyed on the launch pad by fire on September 26, 1983. The launch escape system of the Soyuz spacecraft fired two seconds before the launch vehicle exploded, saving the crew. It is the first case in which a launch escape system has been fired
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Soyuz-M


The Soyuz-M (, meaning ""Union""), GRAU index 11A511M was a Soviet expendable carrier rocket designed by OKB-1 and manufactured by State Aviation Plant No. 1 in Samara, Russia. It was originally built to launch crewed Soyuz 7K-VI spacecraft for the Soviet armed forces. Following the cancellation of this programme, development of the rocket continued for the Soyuz 7K-S spacecraft. After this too was cancelled, Soyuz-M development was also abandoned, and the rockets that had been completed
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Soyuz 7K-LOK


"skip reentry" so that the Soyuz could be recovered in the Soviet Union. The information display systems (IDS) on the LOK were different from those of the Soyuz-7K. The Descent Module was equipped with the "Uran" control panel and the Orbital Module featured the "Orion" approach control panel. Only three uncrewed 7K-LOKs were flown in the short lifespan of the failed Soviet lunar program. One of them was a dummy 7K-LOK as a Soyuz 7K-L1E modification of a Soyuz 7K-L1 "
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Soyuz (spacecraft)


Orbital Research Station). The Soyuz 7K-T/A9 version was used for the flights to the military Almaz space station. Soyuz 7K-TM was the spacecraft used in the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975, which saw the first and only docking of a Soyuz spacecraft with an Apollo Command/Service Module. It was also flown in 1976 for the Earth-science mission, Soyuz 22. Soyuz 7K-TM served as a technological bridge to the third generation. The third generation Soyuz-T (T
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Soyuz 1


of crew members before returning to Earth. However, the launch of Soyuz 2 was called off due to thunderstorms. Soyuz 1 was the first manned flight of the first-generation Soyuz 7K-OK spacecraft and Soyuz rocket, designed as part of the Soviet lunar program. It was the first Soviet manned spaceflight in over two years, and the first Soviet manned flight following the death of the Chief Designer of the space program Sergei Korolev. Komarov was launched on Soyuz 1 despite failures of the previous unmanned tests of the 7K
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Soyuz 7K-T No.39


Soyuz 7K-T No.39, (also named Soyuz 18a or Soyuz 18-1 by some sources and also known as the April 5 Anomaly) was an unsuccessful launch of a manned Soyuz spacecraft by the Soviet Union in 1975. The mission was expected to dock with the orbiting Salyut 4 space station, but due to a failure of the Soyuz launch vehicle the crew failed to make orbit. The crew consisted of commander Vasily Lazarev, and flight engineer Oleg Makarov, a civilian. Although the mission was aborted and did not
17944234
Soyuz 7K-OK


uncrewed automated docking in the history of spaceflight was achieved between 7K-OK spacecraft Kosmos 186 and Kosmos 188 in 1967. Additionally firsts include the first docking between two crewed spacecraft (Soyuz 4 and Soyuz 5), the longest crewed flight involving only one spacecraft (the 18-day flight of Soyuz 9 in 1970), and the first successful transfer of crew to the first space station in the history of space flight (Soyuz 11 and Salyut 1 in 1971). The Soyuz 7K-OK vehicles carried a crew of up to
20156878
Progress 7K-TG


carrier rockets. Progress 20 and all of the Mir flights used the more powerful Soyuz-U2 carrier rocket. The last spacecraft, Progress 42, was launched on 5 May 1990. It was deorbited on 27 May, breaking up in the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean at around 12:27 GMT. Some Progress 7K-TG launches used the payload fairing developed for the Soyuz spacecraft, including the escape tower, but with the motors in the tower removed, and no stabilisers on the sides of the fairing. Officially this was done
2267614
Soyuz 5


Soyuz 5 (, "Union 5") was a Soyuz mission using the Soyuz 7K-OK spacecraft launched by the Soviet Union on 15 January 1969, which docked with Soyuz 4 in orbit. It was the first docking of two manned spacecraft of any nation, and the first transfer of crew from one space vehicle to another of any nation, the only time a transfer was accomplished with a space walk – two months before the US Apollo 9 mission performed the first internal crew transfer. The flight was also memorable for
15894337
Soyuz 7K-L1


, Chelomei also proposed his own, competing lunar spacecraft, the LK-1, and Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev gave his approval in August 1964. Two months later, Khrushchev was expelled from power and Chelomei lost his principal patron. At the end of the year, Korolev revived his proposal for the Soyuz spacecraft, but concealed his true intentions by billing it as an Earth orbital vehicle for testing rendezvous and docking maneuvers. In October 1965, a mere three months before his death, Korolev was granted official approval for developing a crewed lunar
20156905
List of Soyuz missions


spacecraft". Understanding the former is made significantly easier by understanding the latter. The first era of the Soyuz programme's crewed missions (Soyuz 1-40) used the "7K series" of Soyuz craft, which included the first-generation (1.0) Soyuz 7K-OK, a variant (1.5) Soyuz 7K-OKS, the second-generation (2.0) Soyuz 7K-T, and the (2.5) Soyuz 7K-TM variant. Following this first era, successive eras of crewed missions have
3290028
Soyuz 7K-TK


Soyuz 7K-TK ( meaning Union 7K-TK) was a proposed Soviet spacecraft, which was designed for delivering cosmonauts to Soyuz R piloted military stations. This Soyuz version was equipped with both rendezvous and docking equipment was the basis for the Soyuz 7K-OKS space station ferry which flew two manned flights in 1971. Because Sergei Korolev, head of the OKB-1 bureau, had died in surgery in January 1966, the Soyuz 7K-R project was cancelled. Potential was still seen in the Soyuz 7K-TK, and
7881917
History of computing in the Soviet Union


in 1965, ending the Ministry of Radio Technology's primacy in computer production. The following year, the Soviet Union signed a cooperation agreement with France to share research in the computing field after the United States prevented France from purchasing a CDC 6600 mainframe. In 1967, the Unified System of Electronic Computers project was launched to create a general-purpose computer with the other Comecon countries. Soyuz 7K-L1 was the first Soviet piloted spacecraft with an onboard digital computer, the Argon-11S. Construction of the Argon-11S was completed in 1968 by
8413899
Soyuz 7K-LOK


-LOK was the elimination of the solar panels used on the 7K-OK, replacing them with fuel cells similar to those found on the Apollo CSM. Another feature, a "cupola" located on the Orbital Module, allowed the cosmonaut in the 7K-LOK to perform the docking procedure with the LK Lander after lunar liftoff. Only the Descent Module from the 7K-L1, with a thicker, reinforced heatshield, is used on the 7K-LOK and like the 7K-L1, is capable of doing a
20156893
Progress 7K-TG


longest, Progress 38, spending almost 75 days in orbit. The first Progress 7K-TG spacecraft, Progress 1, was launched on 20 January 1978. The first twelve spacecraft flew to Salyut 6, with the next thirteen, including the Kosmos 1669 spacecraft - a Progress spacecraft which was given a Kosmos designation and omitted from the sequence of Progress designations - going to Salyut 7. The last eighteen flew to Mir. With the exception of Progress 20, all of the flights to Salyut stations were launched by Soyuz-U
2267613
Soyuz 7K-TM


The 1975 Apollo–Soyuz Test Project version of the Soyuz spacecraft (Soyuz 7K-TM) served as a technological bridge to the third generation Soyuz-T (T - транспортный, "Transportnyi" meaning transport) spacecraft (1976–1986). The Soyuz ASTP spacecraft was designed for use during the Apollo Soyuz Test Project as Soyuz 19. It featured design changes to increase compatibility with the American craft. The Soyuz ASTP featured new solar panels for increased mission length, an APAS-75 docking mechanism instead of the standard male mechanism and modifications
20396568
Soyuz 7K-T No.39


of which were to the Salyut 6 space station). Soyuz 7K-T No.39 was intended to be the second mission to take cosmonauts to the Soviet Salyut 4 space station for a 60-day mission. Both cosmonauts were on their second mission and had flown their first mission together, Soyuz 12, in September 1973 to test a new type of Soyuz spacecraft after the fatal accident of Soyuz 11. The launch proceeded according to plan until T+288.6 seconds at an altitude of , when the second and third stages of the booster began separation
17944236
Military Soyuz


(14,300 lb). The initial Soyuz 7K-S program was to consist of four unmanned, followed by two manned test flights, then two operational launches. Cosmonauts were assigned to the project in 1973. In 1975 the project was canceled. At that time the launch escape system for 7K-S was ready and was used for Apollo-Soyuz Test Project flights. Three complete vehicles were launched as unmanned test missions: The Soyuz 7K-ST transport project was develop in parallel to the military 7K-S and was
20156954
Soyuz 7K-OK


Soyuz 7K-OK was the first generation of Soyuz spacecraft and was flown between 1967 and 1971. The 7K-OK was used for the first ferry flights to the Salyut space station program, beginning a long history of space station service that continues today with the ISS. , the 7K-OK is notable for the only fatalities of the Soyuz programme, with Soyuz 1 in 1967 (sole crew-member killed by parachute failure) and Soyuz 11 in 1971 (three crew killed by depressurization during reentry). The first
20156877
Soyuz 9


generation Soyuz 7K-OK spacecraft, as well as the first manned space launch to be conducted at night. To date, Soyuz 9 marks the longest manned flight by a solo spacecraft. Commander Andriyan Nikolayev and flight engineer Vitaly Sevastyanov spent 18 days in space conducting various physiological and biomedical experiments on themselves, but also investigating the social implications of prolonged spaceflight. The cosmonauts spent time in two-way TV links with their families, watched matches in the 1970 FIFA World Cup, played chess (including this chess game with the
19869352
Soyuz-T


The Soyuz-T (, "Union-T") spacecraft was the third generation Soyuz spacecraft, in service for seven years from 1979 to 1986. The "T" stood for transport (, ). The revised spacecraft incorporated lessons learned from the Apollo Soyuz Test Project, Soyuz 7K-TM and Military Soyuz. The Soyuz-T was a major upgrade over previous Soyuz spacecraft, sporting solid-state electronics for the first time and a much more advanced onboard computer to help overcome the chronic docking problems that affected
20396011
Soyuz 40


The Soyuz 40 mission was a 1981 Soviet manned spaceflight and the final flight of the Soyuz 7K-T spacecraft. It was a collaboration between the Soviet Union and Romania. Soyuz 40 was the 16th expedition to Salyut 6 and carried the ninth international crew. It also ended the first phase of the Intercosmos program by carrying Romanian cosmonaut Dumitru Prunariu and Soviet cosmonaut Leonid Popov to the station. In all, nine Intercosmos missions were launched between 1978 and 1981. Soyuz 40 was the last of the original Soyuz spacecraft (due to
12030649
Military Soyuz


use the Soyuz 9K rocket stage and Soyuz 11K tanker spacecraft to conduct a series of dockings and re-fueling operations. The complete complex would then could conduct intercepts of enemy satellites in orbits up to 6,000 km in altitude. The Soyuz-R system consisted of two separately launched spacecraft, including the small orbital station 11F71 with photo-reconnaissance and electronic intelligence equipment and a Soyuz 7K-TK for crew transport. Initially the Soyuz P was designed for piloted inspection and destruction of enemy satellites. It was intended that
20156950
Soyuz (spacecraft)


with technical issues, and cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov was killed when the spacecraft crashed during its return to Earth. This was the first in-flight fatality in the history of spaceflight. The next crewed version of the Soyuz was the Soyuz 7K-OKS. It was designed for space station flights and had a docking port that allowed internal transfer between spacecraft. The Soyuz 7K-OKS had two crewed flights, both in 1971. Soyuz 11, the second flight, depressurized upon reentry, killing its three-man crew. The
11090943
Kosmos 146


Kosmos 146 was a Soviet test satellite precursor to the Zond series, launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard a Proton K rocket. The spacecraft was designed to launch a crew from the Earth to conduct a flyby and return to Earth. The primary focus was a Soviet circumlunar flight, which help document the Moon, and also show Soviet power. The test ran from the Zond program from 1967-1970, which produced multiple failures in the 7K-L1's re-entry systems. The remaining 7K-L1s were scrapped,
22194316
Soyuz (spacecraft)


was removed for weight-saving reasons as the redesigned Soyuz 7K-T spacecraft carried extra life support equipment. The crewed Progress resupply ferry has a dummy escape tower and removes the stabilizer fins from the payload shroud. There have been three failed launches of a crewed Soyuz vehicle, Soyuz 18-1 in 1975, Soyuz T-10-1 in 1983 and Soyuz MS-10 in October 2018. The 1975 failure was aborted after escape tower jettison. In 1983, Soyuz T-10-1's SAS successfully rescued the cosmonauts from an on-
11090926
Soyuz 13


Soyuz 13 (, "Union 13") was a 1973 Soviet manned space flight, the second test flight of the redesigned Soyuz 7K-T spacecraft that first flew as Soyuz 12. The spacecraft was specially modified to carry the Orion 2 Space Observatory. The flight, manned by Pyotr Klimuk and Valentin Lebedev, was the Soviet Union's first dedicated science mission, and was the first mission controlled by the new Kaliningrad Mission Control Center. Launched 18 December 1973, the Soyuz 13 crew of Klimuk and Lebedev performed some of
21578862
Kosmos 140


Kosmos 140 ( meaning "Cosmos 140") was an unmanned flight of the Soyuz spacecraft. It was the third attempted test flight of the Soyuz 7K-OK model, after orbital (Kosmos 133) and launch (Soyuz 11A511) failures of the first two Soyuz spacecraft. The followup to Cosmos 133 was planned for 14 December, but ended disastrously. At liftoff, the Blok A core stage of the 11A57 booster ignited, but not the strap-ons. A shutdown command was immediately sent and pad crews began to
1448175
Progress 1


first of forty three to be launched, it had the serial number 102. The Progress 7K-TG spacecraft was the first generation Progress, derived from the Soyuz 7K-T and intended for unmanned logistics missions to space stations in support of the Salyut programme. The spacecraft were also used on some missions to adjust the orbit of the space station. The Progress spacecraft had a dry mass of , which increased to around when fully fuelled. It measured in length, and in diameter. Each spacecraft could accommodate up to of
11956375
Soyuz-M


were used to launch reconnaissance satellites. While the exact details of the Soyuz-M are not known, it is believed to be a two-stage rocket, derived from the Soyuz. It may have been similar to the later Soyuz-U. Following the cancellation of the Soyuz 7K-S, eight were launched with Zenit-4MT spacecraft. The first of these launches occurred on 27 December 1971, and the last on 31 March 1976. All launches occurred from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, six from pad 41/1 and two from pad 43/4
11641897
Zond 6


, after rounding the Moon, Zond 6 crashed on its return to Earth due to a parachute failure. Zond 6 was the official designation for Soyuz 7K-L1 s/n 12. It was supposed to photograph the Moon in colour and in black and white from 8000 km and 2600 km ranges, then return to Earth, landing at Tyuratam only 16 km from the launch pad. It had been a long and difficult road to develop the L1 guidance system, but it worked perfectly that time. Zond 6 flew around
15398110
Soyuz 7K-TK


so control of the project was handed over to Vladimir Chelomey's bureau to be developed as a transport spacecraft for the Almaz program. Due to the delays in the Almaz program, further development of the 7K-TK was suspended in December 1966. It was expected that the first 7K-TK/Almaz complex would be tested unmanned in 1968 and would fly manned thereafter in 1969. However, due to further delays and the Chelomey's preference of the TKS spacecraft in June 1970, the Soyuz 7K-TK program was cancelled
7881918
Kosmos 133


Kosmos 133 (, meaning "Cosmos 133"; COSPAR ID: 1966-107A), was the first unmanned test flight of the Soyuz spacecraft, and first mission of the Soyuz programme, as part of the Soviet space programme. Launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard the maiden flight of the Soyuz carrier rocket, Kosmos 133 was planned "all up" test, to include an automated docking with a second Soyuz (Soyuz 7K-OK No.1), which was scheduled for launch the day after Kosmos 133. Problems found
1448086
Soyuz (spacecraft)


The crewed Soyuz spacecraft can be classified into design generations. Soyuz 1 through Soyuz 11 (1967–1971) were first-generation vehicles, carrying a crew of up to three without spacesuits and distinguished from those following by their bent solar panels and their use of the Igla automatic docking navigation system, which required special radar antennas. This first generation encompassed the original Soyuz 7K-OK and the Soyuz 7K-OKS for docking with the Salyut 1 space station. The probe and drogue docking system permitted internal transfer of cosmonauts from the Soyuz
11090941
Soyuz 12


Soyuz 12 (, "Union 12") was a 1973 manned test flight by the Soviet Union of the newly redesigned Soyuz 7K-T spacecraft that was intended to provide greater crew safety in the wake of the Soyuz 11 tragedy. The flight marked the return of the Soviets to manned space operations after the 1971 accident. The crew capacity of the capsule had been decreased from three to two cosmonauts to allow for pressure suits to be worn during launch, re-entry and docking. It was the first time pressure suits
20357316
Soyuz 3


Soyuz 3 ("Union 3", ) was a spaceflight mission launched by the Soviet Union on 26 October 1968. Flown by Georgy Beregovoy, the Soyuz 7K-OK spacecraft completed 81 orbits over four days. The 47-year-old Beregovoy was a decorated World War II flying ace and the oldest person to go into space up to that time. The mission achieved the first Russian space rendezvous with the unmanned Soyuz 2, but failed to achieve a planned docking of the two craft. The Soviet space program had experienced great
19520986
Soyuz 10


Soyuz 10 (, "Union 10") was launched on 22 April 1971 as the world's first mission to the world's first space station, the Soviet Salyut 1. The docking was not successful and the crew returned to Earth without having entered the station. It would be the first of numerous docking failures in the Soviet space station program. Soyuz 10 was launched on 22 April 1971 to dock with Salyut 1. The spacecraft was the first of the upgraded Soyuz 7K-OKS, featuring the new "probe and
20236220
Soyuz (rocket)


The Soyuz (, meaning "union", GRAU index 11A511) was a Soviet expendable carrier rocket designed in the 1960s by OKB-1 and manufactured by State Aviation Plant No. 1 in Kuybyshev, Soviet Union. It was commissioned to launch Soyuz spacecraft as part of the Soviet human spaceflight program, first with 8 uncrewed test flights, followed by the first 19 crewed launches. The original Soyuz also propelled four test flights of the improved Soyuz 7K-T capsule between 1972 and 1974. In total it flew 30 successful missions over
11641697
Apollo spacecraft feasibility study


's Soyuz spacecraft designed by Sergei Korolev and Vasily Mishin. It has been speculated that Korolev and Mishin could have incorporated GE design elements in the existing OKB-1 Sever designs (1959-1962) that eventually became the cancelled Soyuz-A (7K) (1963) and approved Soyuz 7K-OK (1965-1967). In July and August 1960, NASA's Space Task Group (STG) hosted a series of NASA-industry conferences to discuss post-Project Mercury crewed spacecraft plans. Deputy Administrator Hugh L. Dryden
4251103
Progress-M


Progress-M (, GRAU indices 11F615A55 and 11F615A60), also known as Progress 7K-TGM, is a Russian, previously Soviet spacecraft which is used to resupply space stations. It is a variant of the Progress spacecraft, originally built in the late 1980s as a modernised version of the Progress 7K-TG spacecraft, using new systems developed for the Soyuz-T and Soyuz-TM spacecraft. The 11F61560 variant incorporated further modernisation, with digital flight control systems replacing the earlier analogue ones. The older 11F615A55 spacecraft was
9134478
Soyuz (spacecraft)


second generation, called "Soyuz Ferry" or Soyuz 7K-T, comprised Soyuz 12 through Soyuz 40 (1973–1981). It was developed out of the military Soyuz concepts studied in previous years and was capable of carrying 2 cosmonauts with Sokol space suits (after the Soyuz 11 accident). Several models were planned, but none actually flew in space. These versions were named "Soyuz P", "Soyuz PPK", "Soyuz R", "Soyuz 7K-VI", and "Soyuz OIS" (
11090944
Progress 7K-TG


Progress 7K-TG (, GRAU index 11F615A15), was a Soviet unmanned spacecraft used to resupply space stations in low Earth orbit. Forty three flew, delivering cargo to Salyut 6, Salyut 7, and Mir. It was the first version of the Progress spacecraft to fly, and spawned later derivatives including the Progress-M which replaced it, and the later Progress-M1. The Progress 7K-TG spacecraft was derived from the manned Soyuz 7K-T "ferry" spacecraft, which had been designed for the
2267611
Progress 7K-TG


Salyut programme. The descent module of the Soyuz spacecraft was replaced with a new section designated "Otsek Komponentov Dozapravki", or OKD. This contained fuel tanks and pumps used for refuelling the space station that it docked with. Like the Soyuz 7K-T, the Progress was not equipped with solar panels, and instead relied on batteries for power. Early spacecraft had a design life of 33 days, including three in free flight, and the rest docked with a space station. Later spacecraft flew longer missions, with the
2267612
Soyuz-B


. It was primarily intended for use in boosting manned Soyuz 7K and Soyuz-P spacecraft into higher orbits; the Soyuz-A onto a circumlunar trajectory for manned Lunar exploration, and the Soyuz-P into a higher orbit to intercept and destroy another spacecraft. The Soyuz 9K consisted of two modules: the main spacecraft, and a docking module, NO (). The NO module housed rendezvous and docking systems for the Soyuz-V, as well as equipment for transferring fuel, and additional manoeuvring thrusters.
12605697
Salyut 5


maximum diameter of . It had a habitable interior volume of , and a mass at launch of . The station was equipped with a single docking port for Soyuz spacecraft, with the Soyuz 7K-T being the configuration in service at the time. Two solar arrays mounted laterally at the same end of the station as the docking port provided it with power. The station was equipped with a KSI capsule to return research data and materials. Salyut 5 carried Agat, a camera which the crews used to observe the Earth. The
12354564
Soyuz 11


Soyuz Test Project in 1975. The Soyuz 7K-OKS spacecraft was launched on 6 June 1971, from Baikonur Cosmodrome in central Kazakh SSR. Several months earlier, the first mission to the Salyut, Soyuz 10, had failed to successfully dock with the station. Soyuz 11 successfully docked with Salyut 1 on 7 June and the cosmonauts remained on board for 22 days, setting space endurance records that would hold until the American Skylab 2 mission in May–June 1973. Upon first entering the station, the crew encountered a smoky
20295904
Space Race


were planned to occur in 1967, and the landings to start in 1968. The circumlunar program (Zond), created by Vladimir Chelomey's design bureau OKB-52, was to fly two cosmonauts in a stripped-down Soyuz 7K-L1, launched by Chelomey's Proton UR-500 rocket. The Zond sacrificed habitable cabin volume for equipment, by omitting the Soyuz orbital module. Chelomey gained favor with Khruschev by employing members of his family. Korolev's lunar landing program was designated N1/L3, for its N1 super rocket and a
4757957
Soyuz 7K-LOK


three sections, an ellipsoid Orbital Module, the "headlight"-shaped Descent Module, and a cylindrical equipment module. Like the 7K-OK, the 7K-LOK was capable of physically docking with another spacecraft, but lacked the transfer tunnel used on the Apollo (spacecraft), thus forcing the cosmonaut to make a spacewalk from the 7K-LOK's orbital module to the LK Lander using the new Krechet space suit (the predecessor to the Orlan space suits used today on the International Space Station). Another change to the 7K
20156892
Military Soyuz


The Soviet Union planned several military Soyuz spacecraft models. These versions were named "Soyuz P", "Soyuz PPK", "Soyuz R", "Soyuz 7K-VI", and "Soyuz OIS (Orbital Research Station)". However, none ever flew in space. The Soyuz P ("Perekhvatchik", Interceptor) space interceptor and Soyuz R ("Razvedki", intelligence) command-reconnaissance spacecraft was proposed in December 1962 by Sergei Korolev. In the initial draft project, the Soyuz P would
20156949
Soyuz 7K-OK


passive "drogue" docking target. The docking mechanisms of 7K-OK and 7K-LOK did not allow internal transfer (this feature was added on the 7K-OKS version), thus cosmonauts had to spacewalk between docked modules. This procedure was conducted successfully on the joint Soyuz 4 and Soyuz 5 missions, where Aleksei Yeliseyev and Yevgeny Khrunov transferred from their Soyuz 5 to the Soyuz 4 craft. The first uncrewed test of this version was Kosmos 133, launched on November 28, 1966. The last two Soyuz space
20156881
Soyuz 7K-L1


, solar and cosmic rays, magnetic fields, radio emissions, and solar wind. Many photographs were taken and biological payloads were also flown. Zond 5 was the first spacecraft to carry a group of terrestrial creatures (tortoises being the most complex) on a circumlunar flight and return them relatively safely to Earth. Zond 5 splashed down in the Indian Ocean after descending steeply with a 20 G deceleration rate. Although unsafe for humans, these high Gs apparently didn't affect the tortoises' health, and they were reportedly able to
20156910
Soviet crewed lunar programs


first flight by the end of 1967. Following the change from Nikita Khrushchev to Leonid Brezhnev in 1964, the Soviet government in September 1965 assigned the flyby program to Korolev, who redesigned the cislunar mission to use his own Soyuz 7K-L1 spacecraft and Chelomei's Proton rocket. Korolev organized full-scale development of both programs, but died after surgery in January 1966. According to a government decree of February 1967, the first crewed flyby was scheduled for mid-1967, and the first crewed landing for the end of 1968.
8375768
Mir EO-4


Romanenko, who had a 326-day spaceflight aboard Mir during EO-2. Both the French mission and EO-3 ended when Chrétien, Titov, and Manarov landed in the spacecraft Soyuz TM-6 on December 21, which occurred six hours after undocking from Mir. On December 27, shortly after Soyuz TM-6 departed, the expedition's first Progress resupply spacecraft docked with the station, two days after its launch. This model of resupply spacecraft, Progress 7K-TG, had been used for resupply missions to Soviet space stations since 1978. Progress 39 delivered
20243099
Soyuz 7K-T No.39


the Soyuz's own engines. This separated the spacecraft from the third-stage booster and then separated the orbital and service modules of the Soyuz from the re-entry capsule. At the time when the safety system initiated separation the spacecraft was already pointed downward toward Earth, which accelerated its descent significantly. Instead of the expected acceleration in such an emergency situation of 15 "g" (147 m/s²), the cosmonauts experienced up to 21.3 g (209 m/s²). Despite very high overloading, the
17944238
LK (spacecraft)


just 13 days prior to the launch of Apollo 11, was a catastrophic failure which destroyed both the rocket and the launch complex. Subsequently, the complete L3 lunar expedition complex with regular LK and Soyuz 7K-LOK module-spacecraft for Moon flyby and landing by full unmanned mission of future manned scenario was prepared for fifth launch of modified N1 rocket on August 1974. The N1-L3 program was cancelled in May 1974 and the Soviets decided to concentrate on the development of space stations, achieving several firsts in the process. Because the
16042675
SSVP docking system


Sistema Stykovki i Vnutrennego Perekhoda, SSVP (, "System for docking and internal transfer") is a docking standard used by Soviet and Russian spacecraft, sometimes called RDS for "Russian Docking System". It has been used on all variants of Soyuz other than the Soyuz 7K-L3 and early flights of the Soyuz 7K-OK, as well as Progress, TKS, ATV, and on all Soviet and Russian space stations. SSVP was initially conceived in 1967 by the TsKBEM design bureau for use on the then-
20657748
Progress 2


The Progress 7K-TG spacecraft was the first generation Progress, derived from the Soyuz 7K-T and intended for unmanned logistics missions to space stations in support of the Salyut programme. On some missions the spacecraft were also used to adjust the orbit of the space station. The Progress spacecraft had a dry mass of , which increased to around when fully fuelled. It measured in length, and in diameter. Each spacecraft could accommodate up to of payload, consisting of dry cargo and propellant. The spacecraft were powered by chemical
1566245
Progress 3


The Progress 7K-TG spacecraft was the first generation Progress, derived from the Soyuz 7K-T and intended for unmanned logistics missions to space stations in support of the Salyut programme. On some missions the spacecraft were also used to adjust the orbit of the space station. The Progress spacecraft had a dry mass of , which increased to around when fully fuelled. It measured in length, and in diameter. Each spacecraft could accommodate up to of payload, consisting of dry cargo and propellant. The spacecraft were powered by chemical
21113669
Apollo–Soyuz Test Project


, and reentry. The ASTP-class Soyuz 7K-TM spacecraft used was a variation of the post-Soyuz 11 two-man design, with the batteries replaced by solar panels enabling "solo" flights (missions not docking to one of the Salyut space stations). It was designed to operate, during the docking phase, at a reduced nitrogen/oxygen pressure of 10.2 psi, allowing easier transfers between the Apollo and Soyuz. Six ASTP-class Soyuz spacecraft were built in total, including the one used.
18254239
Cosmos 154


Cosmos 154 (or Космос 154 in Russian) was a Soviet test spacecraft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard a Proton-K rocket. It was a Prototype Soyuz 7K-L1P launched by Proton and failed to go into planned translunar trajectory. It was also a probable manned precursor to the Zond series. It reached Earth orbit but the Block D translunar injection stage failed to fire (ullage rockets, which had to fire to settle propellants in tanks before main engine fired, were jettisoned prematurely). The spacecraft burned up two
127829
N1 (rocket)


Lander spacecraft; and a two-pilot Soyuz 7K-LOK lunar orbital spacecraft for return to Earth. N1-L3 was underfunded and rushed, starting development in October 1965, almost four years after the Saturn V. The project was badly derailed by the death of its chief designer Sergei Korolev in 1966. Each of the four attempts to launch an N1 failed, with the second attempt resulting in the vehicle crashing back onto its launch pad shortly after liftoff and causing one of the largest artificial non-nuclear explosions in human history. The
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