The Best of Soviet Space Substack
The most popular articles published here.
Introduction
This is a different post from usual, I realised that my audience here has grown a LOT since I started, and I thought it would be useful to highlight the best articles, for those who may have missed them.
This is based on the number of people recorded as reading the articles.
5. Photos of the N1 in the Factory.
Photos of the N1 and related hardware are always popular, so I wasn’t surprised when a collection of seldom seen photos was widely read.
N-1, Seldom seen factory photos
This edition gets you a bumper bundle of little-known photos of N-1 Hardware!
4. The Lunar Expeditionary Program.
Details of the most advanced lunar project conceived in the Soviet Union, a permanent crewed base on the Moon. This would need the Vulkan super-heavy launcher.
Lunar Expeditionary Program.
This substack post will cover the basics of the Lunar Expeditionary Complex. It was by far the most ambitious lunar proposal to be taken seriously, involving a permanently crewed lunar base, with crew rotated every 12 months.
Number 3 LK and LOK final versions.
Details of the last iteration of plans for a mission based on LOK and LK, and it’s a rare case of having a good chunk of text describing the concepts in some detail.
2. Crewed Mars Nuclear Missions.
This rated two posts, and covers plans for crewed missions to Mars, first using the Aelita designs, then the Mars 87 nuclear designs. There’s a LOT of detail, and many illustrations.
The first part covers new information on the 1969 “Aelita” mission concept, and how it was developed into the 1987 mission architecture.
Part 2 focuses firmly on the Mars 87 design, and includes details of no less than FIVE versions that were considered. Lots of details on arrangements to ensure crew safety, and even a video from the time showing the assembly sequence!
1987 Nuclear Mars Plans, Part 2
Just as I was finishing up the previous post, more information arrived. The article was already close to the recommended maximum length, so I saved it for a second instalment.
1. Plan for the N1-L3M, up to N1-23L.
So much exciting information in this, I’m not surprised it was popular. Project plans, and launch schedules, (with original documents), out to the N1-23L, and a two launch Moon landing in 1980.
1973 N1-L3M Project Details
This post is a translation of the project plans for the L3M version lunar mission. As usual, only a few pages are available. I’ve added my notes in brackets, in italics, with NS, for example: (This is an observation by Nick. NS)
This editions cool image:
Vadim Lukasevich, the absolute master of Buran info, (and owner of the Buran.Ru website), has chased down some amazing new photos, and this is one of over 50 he is currently working on. Apparently these were take from a chase plane with the side hatch open, and the photographer secured with 3 ropes!
This editions cool link:
This one is more for the serious researchers, “Collection of works of the International scientific and practical conference dedicated to the memory of outstanding domestic scientists and designers, cosmonauts, creators and testers of space technology”, Volume V
https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?selid=75164864&id=75164772
It’s in Russian, so you will probably need translation built into your browser.
This editions 7 day download:
All 12 editions of the Russian language Novosti Kosmonavtiki space exploration magazines from 2003.
Click here or on the image to download.
Treasure Trove Nick! When's the book coming out:)?