N-1 Factory Photos
Photos of the N1 rocket being assembled.
Some photos for you all! They are not new, but were previously available in a booklet by Pavel Shubin, (and his versions are much higher quality). These have come from the RGANTD Archive. The colour in most is really poor - the N1 hull was a medium grey, not brown as shown here, (and definitely no green, despite what you see in Russian museums).
As usual, click on an image to see a larger version.
On the left is Block A of the N1-3L, in the centre if Block A of the weight model, and on the right is block B of the weight model.
A few things I’d like to point out.
Note the hatch, clearly big enough to enter inside the hull
The different sizes of the triangular antennae are clear.
Holes for the fuel lines to pass around the oxygen tank are clear, in twos and threes, to match the fuel line covers.
Three pairs of supports for each fuel line.
Important! The triple fuel lines have an extra pipe or connection! What is this for? I have seen mounts for it before, on relics, (which therefore must be N1-8L or later).
Supports for the work platforms are attached directly to the hull!
Block A of the weight model. This photo seems to show a more advanced stage of construction. Note the light coloured metal pipes that guide the fuel lines around the widest part of the liquid oxygen tank. To the left, only 2 of the 3 pipes are installed. Why do they have those constrictions?
This shows the 2nd stage, block B. The fairings are clearly attached here, and to the lower left you can see the 3 sets of small rockets which fire to pull the fairings away.
Upper Stages
One of the upper stages here, block G.
And Block D. Exactly what is on the left side? The flaring at the base suggests to me that this is the lowest part of the L3.
The Source Document:
Here’s the front page of the source document.
Note that the date is 1967. The title reads:
“The state of work on the creation of the rocket and space complex N1-L3, prospects for it’s use in the exploration of the Moon, and the nearby planets of the Solar System, and analysis of the capabilities of the rocket complex UR-700, LK-700.”
Argh! Not just a detailed analysis of the N1, but also Chelomey’s UR-700 Rocket, and LK-700 lander! Insanely useful, but no way to get the full document!
I also put the page through Yandex Image translate, here’s the result:
As is usual, (and depressing), we only get a few pages. Particularly frustrating when we you consider that title! I’ll be writing a post based on the other pages I have shortly, when I have had a chance to examine and translate them carefully.
Fantastic colour photos!
Many thanks for sharimg.
One doubt, the photo of the cover document where they mention the N-1 and also UR-700, is it available the whole document, in Russian, of course?
This is the ONLY decent photo of the Block D "Crasher" stage that I've ever seen!