TOPIC · OKB-1 / Soviet space program (today Roscosmos)
N1-L3
The Soviet N1-L3 lunar complex was intended to land one cosmonaut on the Moon, but all four N1 test launches failed.
AgencyOKB-1 / Soviet space program (today Roscosmos)
◉ REAL PHOTOGRAPH · National Reconnaissance Office / Wikimedia CommonsFig. 1 — Maketa sovětské supertěžké rakety N1 stojí na startovní rampě kosmodromu Bajkonur v roce 1967.
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updated · 31 Aug 2026
N1-L3 was the Soviet counterpart to Apollo. Its core was the N1 super-heavy launcher and the L3 lunar complex: a cosmonaut would descend from the LOK spacecraft in the LK lander, reach the Moon, and return to lunar orbit to rejoin the mother craft.
The N1 flew four times between 1969 and 1972, and none reached orbit. After cancellation, the lunar architecture remained secret for years. Its technical legacy shows both the scale of Soviet ambition and the cost of the race to the Moon.
KEY FACTS
- N1 attempted four launches; every one ended in failure.
- The lunar plan called for a single cosmonaut to land in the LK module.
CONTEXT
Period1964–1974
Statusnot realised
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SOURCES & FURTHER READINGlast verified · 31 August 2026
◉ NASA photography — public domain✦ AI illustration — marked, generated from sourcesarticle text — CC-BY-SA
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