Soyuz 7K-L3S
Mission
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
Version of the Soyuz designed to be used in a combined lunar orbit / robot soil return mission to upstage the Americans prior to Apollo 11.
The Ye-8-5, a version of the Ye-8 to drill a small sample of lunar soil and return it to earth would be accelerated. This would be launched in coordination with the L3S. Although not a manned lunar landing, it would provide a Soviet crew in orbit around the moon, and return of lunar soil to earth, nearly matching the Apollo mission. The last chance to upstage the Americans was a combined launch of the N1-L3S and Ye-8-5 before Apollo 11 in July. (Mishin Diaries 2-187)
- N1-L3 launch schemes - .
Related
- Related Persons
- Mishin
- Spacecraft
- Soyuz 7K-L1, Soyuz 7K-L1S, Soyuz 7K-L3S, Soyuz 7K-LOK, LK, Luna Ye-8. Mishin meeting with his guidance expert, NA Pilyugin, to consider the possibility of 2 launch schemes: with Ye-8 and without Ye-8 OV. All possibilities to improve the accuracy of the landing without the Ye-8 were to be examined. The first N1 missions would rehearse the two-launch scenario, with the Ye-8 being launched by a UR-500K and an L3S (orbital version of the L1S) standing in for the LOK (no LK being available yet)
Chronology
1 event
1969 January 28
LV Family: N1.- A scheme is formulated to upstage the American moon landing. - .
Related Persons: Mishin.
Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-L3S,
Luna Ye-8-5,
Luna Ye-8-5.
The Ye-8-5, a version of the Ye-8 to drill a small sample of lunar soil and return it to earth would be accelerated. This could be launched in coordination with the L3S. Although not a manned lunar landing, it would provide a Soviet crew in orbit around the moon, and return of lunar soil to earth, nearly matching the Apollo mission. The last chance to upstage the Americans was a combined launch of the N1-L3S and Ye-8-5 before Apollo 11 in July. (Mishin Diaries 2-187)