Was the USSR on the moon. Why didn't we go to the moon

Space exploration in the middle of the last century was of paramount importance for world powers, because it directly testified to their strength and power. The priority of developments in the space industry was not only not hidden from citizens, but, on the contrary, was emphasized in every possible way, instilling a sense of respect and pride for their country.

Despite the desire of many countries to take part in this difficult and interesting business, the main serious struggle unfolded between the two superpowers - the Soviet Union and the United States of America.

The first victories in the space race were for the USSR

The series of successes of the Soviet cosmonautics became an open challenge to the United States, forcing America to speed up work in the field of space exploration and find a way to beat its main competitor - the USSR.

first artificial satellite lands - Soviet Sputnik-1 (October 4, 1957) of the USSR;
the first space flights of animals - the astronaut dog Laika, the first animal put into Earth orbit! (1954 - November 3, 1957) USSR;
the first manned flight into space - Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin (April 12, 1961).

And yet, the competition for space continued!

First people on the moon

Today, almost everyone knows that America managed to seize the initiative in the space race by launching its astronauts on. The first manned spacecraft to successfully land on the moon back in 1969 was the American spacecraft Apollo 11, with a crew of astronauts on board - these were Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin.

Many of you remember the photo of Armstrong proudly planting the US flag on the surface of the moon on July 20, 1969. The American government triumphed that it had managed to overtake the Soviet pioneers of space in the conquest of the moon. But history is full of conjectures and assumptions, and some facts haunt critics and scientific minds so far. To this day, the question is being discussed that the American ship, in all likelihood, reached the moon, took it, but did the astronauts actually descend on its surface? There is a whole caste of skeptics and critics who do not believe in the landing of Americans on the moon, however, let's leave this skepticism on their conscience.

However, for the first time the Soviet spacecraft "Luna-2" reached the Moon on September 13, 1959, that is, the Soviet spacecraft ended up on the Moon 10 years before the landing of American cosmonauts on the Earth's satellite. And therefore, it is especially insulting that few people know about the role of Soviet designers, physicists, and cosmonauts in the exploration of the Moon.

But the work was done enormously, and the results were achieved much earlier than Armstrong's victorious march. The pennant of the USSR was delivered to the surface of the moon a decade earlier than a human foot set foot on its surface. On September 13, 1959, the Luna 2 space station reached the planet it was named after. The world's first spacecraft to reach the Moon (space station Luna-2) landed on the surface of the Moon in the area of the Sea of Rains near the craters Aristillus, Archimedes and Autolycus.

A completely logical question arises: if the Luna-2 station reached the Earth’s satellite, then there should have been Luna-1 too? There was, but its launch, performed a little earlier, turned out to be not so successful and, flying past the Moon ... But even with this outcome, very significant scientific results were obtained during the flight of the Luna-1 station:

Using ion traps and particle counters, the first direct measurements of solar wind parameters were made.
The Earth's outer radiation belt was recorded for the first time using an onboard magnetometer.
It was established that the Moon has no significant magnetic field.
AMS "Luna-1" became the first spacecraft in the world to reach the second space velocity.

The launch participants were awarded the Lenin Prize, the people did not know their heroes by name, but the common cause - the honor of the country - was a priority.

The US landed the first people on the moon

What about the USA? The flight of Yuri Gagarin into space was a serious blow for America, and in order not to remain forever in the shadow of the Russians, the goal was set - and although the Americans lost the race for landing on the surface of the moon first spaceship, they had a chance to be the first to land astronauts on the Earth's satellite! Work on the improvement of the spacecraft, spacesuits and the necessary equipment went by leaps and bounds, the American government attracted the entire intellectual and technical potential of the country, and, without stint, spent billions of dollars on development. All NASA resources were mobilized and thrown into the furnace of science for a great cause.

The step of an American citizen to the moon is the only way to get out of the shadows, to equal the Soviet Union in this race. It is possible that America would not have been able to realize its ambitious plans, but at that time there was a change in the party leader in the USSR, and the leading designers, Korolev and Chelomey, could not come to a common opinion. Korolev, being an innovator by nature, was inclined to use the latest engine developments, and his colleague stood up for the old, but proven Proton. Thus, the initiative was lost and the first to officially set foot on the surface of the moon were American astronauts.

Did the USSR give up in the lunar race?

Despite the fact that Soviet cosmonauts never managed to land on the moon in the 20th century, the USSR did not give up in the race to explore the moon. So already in 1970, the automatic interplanetary station "Luna-17" carried on its board the world's first, unparalleled, planetary rover capable of fully operating under the conditions of a different gravity of the moon. It was named "Lunokhod-1" and was intended to study the surface, properties and composition of the soil, radioactive and X-ray radiation of the Moon. Work on it was carried out at the Khimki Machine-Building Plant. S.A. Lavochkin, led by Babakin Nikolai Grigorievich. The sketch was ready in 1966, and the whole project documentation was completed by the end of the following year.

"Lunokhod-1" was delivered to the surface of the Earth's satellite in November 1970. The control center was located in Simferopol, in the Space Communications Center and included the control panel of the crew commander, the driver of the lunar rover, the antenna operator, the navigator, and the operational information processing room. The main problem was the time delay of the signal, which prevented full control. Lunokhod worked there for almost a year, until September 14, on that day the last successful communication session took place.

Lunokhod did a great job of studying the planet entrusted to it, having worked much longer than planned. A huge number of photographs, lunar panoramas, were transmitted to Earth. Years later, in 2012, the International Astronomical Union gave names to all twelve craters encountered on the path of Lunokhod-1 - they received male names.

By the way, in 1993 Lunokhod-1 was put up for auction by Sotheby's, the declared price was five thousand dollars. Bidding ended with a much higher amount - sixty-eight and a half thousand american dollars, the buyer was the son of one of the American astronauts. It is characteristic that the precious lot rests on the territory of the Moon; in 2013, it was discovered in images taken by the American orbital probe.

Summing up, it can be noted that the first people to land on the moon (1969) were the Americans, here is a list of US astronauts who landed: Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Pete Conrad, Alan Bean, Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell, David Scott, James Irwin , John Young, Charles Duke, Eugene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt. Neil Armstrong lived long life and died on August 25, 2012 at the age of 82, retaining the title of the first person to walk on the moon ...

But the first spacecraft that conquered the Moon (1959) were Soviet, here the primacy undoubtedly belongs to the Soviet Union and Russian designers and engineers.

An outside observer looked at the Apollo 11 crew press conference with mixed feelings. Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collings and Buzz Aldrin showed no signs of joy, were gloomy and a little confused. Of course, such an important event as the first landing of a man on the moon is more pompous than gives rise to jokes and smiles. However, the tone of the press conference dedicated to such a grandiose event was painted in gloomy shades.

And if then, in the early 70s of the last century, people could not attach importance to this circumstance, now, after decades, the means mass media filled with contradictory facts. There is even a theory lunar conspiracy, according to which American astronauts provided false or fabricated data about the landing of their crew on the surface of the Earth's satellite. Since then, people have not abandoned their attempts to get to the bottom of the truth and find out what really happened then. Let's try to figure this out.

Strange facts and inconsistencies

The strange relationship of the crew members was the first thing that caught my eye and gave rise to a lot of doubts. How can people who have spent in the unknown outer space side by side with each other for a while, look so distant? Of course, this cannot serve as evidence of forgery, but it forces us to delve into the study of the situation.

There was a lot of secrecy in the reports provided by NASA, many discrepancies were found in documents, photos and video reports. In the years following the landing, more and more compromising information surfaced. It is worth noting that the very theory of the lunar conspiracy was not put forward by the Soviet Union, its author was the publicist Bill Kaysing. However, even before the release of the famous book, the percentage of ordinary Americans who doubted the authenticity of the event was high.

Modern view of the problem

Strange, but since then the Moon has not become a target for massive human flights. To study information on extraterrestrial objects, man came up with smart satellites and space probes. It is so natural for our mind to deny strange situations that defy logical explanation. What does not fit into the generally accepted framework of knowledge, regardless of culture and science, is most often obstructed. It has always been so. But now, years later, we have a unique opportunity to look at the problem with a fresh, disinterested eye.

It's no secret that the history books are constantly being rewritten. More often under the influence of one or another political regime, less frequently according to the latest scientific discoveries. Albert Einstein once said, "Condemnation without investigation indicates ignorance." So we won't ridicule or dismiss an idea without first getting the facts straight.

What did the moonstone turn into

Before us is the first curious fact that surfaced in last years. In 1969, one of the Apollo 11 astronauts presented a piece of moon rock as a gift to the Prime Minister of the Netherlands. This unique stone was then donated to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Every year, a gift brought from the moon attracted thousands and thousands of new visitors. Initially, it was estimated by experts at one and a half million dollars. But after several decades, the texture of the stone mysteriously changed. What was the surprise of the museum keepers when they realized that the moonstone is nothing but a petrified tree.

Appeal from the Russian government

More recently the government Russian Federation formally called on the international community to investigate certain information regarding the period from 1996 to 1972. According to NASA, it was during this period that American astronauts landed on the moon. There were several expeditions. Official representative Investigative Committee Russian Vladimir Markin argued that the investigation could shed light on a shadow from the past. Secret information that has been kept for a number of years must be made public.

A Russian official is urging the international community to find out where footage from the original 1969 footage of the first manned moon landing has gone. It is also curious to know where about four hundred kilograms of lunar rocks, brought to Earth by several expeditions from 1969 to 1972, disappeared. The Russian side does not claim that there was no moon landing. Based on the facts, was removed documentary about this mysterious disappearance. According to Markov, the lost frames and moon rocks are the property of mankind. The disappearance of cultural artifacts is the total loss of the inhabitants of the Earth.

Intelligence analyst opinion

Bob Dean served in the Supreme Commander Allied Forces Europe as an Intelligence Analyst. According to the former military man, footage from the landing on the moon was ruthlessly destroyed. So now, even if someone wants to conduct their own independent investigation, it will be impossible. While the public of the United States of America continued to insist on the declassification of information, the government of the country, together with NASA officials, continued to destroy 40 rolls of precious film obtained from all the expeditions of the Apollo program. Several thousand individual frames were captured there. After reviewing them, the authorities for some reason decided that people did not have the right to get acquainted with the materials. The reason is banal and simple. According to the government, all these personnel are "subversive, socially and politically unacceptable".

What Astronaut Edgar Mitchell Says

Bob Dean is just one of many influential people who have been furious at the US government's cover-up of the moon landing. His testimony, without proper documentation, cannot constitute any concrete evidence. However, we must listen to his arguments. It turns out that the retired major, having made a scandalous statement, put his reputation on the line for the sake of truth. And here is what another brave man says, Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell. He became the sixth person to land on the moon. “I was among the elite who were lucky not only to fly into space, but also land on the moon. On the Earth's satellite, we encountered the reality of the UFO phenomenon. For a long time, the information we obtained was hidden by the government. I saw the debris of the spacecraft, but I did not see the bodies of aliens. They probably managed to escape. After flying to the moon, I became a different person. Now I know for sure, we are not alone in the universe. Not only that, aliens have been visiting us regularly for a long time.”

They were under surveillance

Maurice Chatelain designed the radio equipment used in the moon landings (this is one of his twelve patents). The scientist said that at the time when the astronauts landed, they were never alone, all the time, being in the field of view of the UFO. Now it becomes clear why there are so many incomprehensible discrepancies in the photographs taken at that time. Why the shadows of the astronauts are twice as large, and why there are massive prints everywhere. Unfortunately, the resolution of photographs of that time left much to be desired. Therefore, modern scientists, even with preserved copies, cannot determine with accuracy what those mysterious dark spots on the pictures. Was this due to the poor quality of the photographs, or were aliens really involved.

Could there be artificial structures there?

John Brandenburg, deputy manager of the Clementine mission, which was part of the joint space project, says: “Our goal was to identify secret bases on the moon. I reviewed many pictures and settled on one. There was a linear structure, a mile long. This object was artificial and should not have been there. However, I can say with confidence that the erection of such a structure cannot be the work of man. This means someone else has landed on the moon.”

Conclusion

If the NASA expeditions from 1961 to 1972 really took place, and the data was really destroyed, we were able to partially lift the veil of secrecy. Now it becomes clear why there was gloomy uncertainty at the press conference of the Apollo 11 crew members. Probably, the astronauts were really shocked by what they saw, but they were forbidden to talk about it.

MOSCOW, July 20 - RIA Novosti. Famed cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, who personally prepared for participation in the Soviet lunar exploration program, denied years of rumors that American astronauts were not on the Moon, and the footage broadcast on television around the world was allegedly edited in Hollywood.

He spoke about this in an interview with RIA Novosti on the eve of the 40th anniversary of the first landing in the history of mankind of US astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin on the surface of an Earth satellite, celebrated on July 20.

So were or weren't the Americans on the moon?

“Only absolutely ignorant people can seriously believe that the Americans were not on the moon. And, unfortunately, this whole ridiculous epic about the allegedly fabricated footage in Hollywood began precisely with the Americans themselves. By the way, the first person who began to distribute these rumors, was imprisoned for slander," Aleksey Leonov noted in this regard.

Where did the rumors come from?

It all started with the fact that when, at the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the famous American film director Stanley Kubrick, who created his brilliant film Odyssey 2001 based on the book of science fiction writer Arthur Clark, journalists who met with Kubrick's wife asked to talk about her husband's work on the film in Hollywood studios.And she honestly said that there are only two real lunar modules on Earth - one in a museum where no filming has ever been done, and it’s even forbidden to walk with a camera, and the other is in Hollywood, where, to develop the logic of what is happening on the screen and additional filming of the landing of the Americans on the moon was made," the Soviet cosmonaut specified.

Why was studio photography used?

Alexei Leonov explained that in order for the viewer to be able to see the development of what is happening on the movie screen from beginning to end, elements of additional filming are used in any movie.

“It was impossible, for example, to film the real opening of the hatch of the descent ship on the Moon by Neil Armstrong - there was simply no one to film it from the surface! For the same reason, it was impossible to film Armstrong’s descent to the Moon along the ladder from the ship. Kubrick in Hollywood studios to develop the logic of what is happening, and laid the foundation for numerous gossip that the entire landing was allegedly simulated on the set, "explained Alexei Leonov.

Where Truth Begins and Editing Ends

“Real shooting began when Armstrong, who first set foot on the moon, got a little used to it, installed a highly directional antenna through which the broadcast to Earth was carried out. its movement on the surface of the moon," the astronaut specified.

Why did the American flag fly in the airless space of the moon?

“They argue that the American flag was flying on the moon, but it shouldn’t be. The flag really shouldn’t be flying - the fabric was used with a rather rigid reinforced mesh, the cloth was twisted into a tube and tucked into a case. The astronauts took with them a nest, which they first inserted into the lunar soil, and then they stuck the flagpole into it, and only then removed the cover. reinforced mesh created the impression that the flag is rippling, as if in the wind," Alexei Leonov explained the "phenomenon".

"To talk about the fact that the entire film was shot on Earth is simply ridiculous and ridiculous. In the USA, there were all necessary systems who tracked the launch of the launch vehicle, acceleration, correction of the flight orbit, flyby of the Moon by the descent capsule and its landing," the famous Soviet cosmonaut concluded.

What did the "lunar race" lead to two space superpowers

"In my opinion, this is the best competition in space that humanity has ever carried out. The "moon race" between the USSR and the USA is an achievement the highest peaks science and technology," Alexey Leonov believes.

According to him, after the flight of Yuri Gagarin, US President Kennedy, speaking in Congress, said that the Americans simply thought too late about what triumph could be achieved by launching a man into space, and therefore the Russians triumphantly became the first. Kennedy's message was clear: within ten years, put a man on the moon and return him safely to Earth.

"This was a very true step of the great politician - he united and rallied the American nation to achieve this goal. Huge funds for those times were also involved - 25 billion dollars, today, this is, perhaps, all fifty billion. The program included a flyby of the moon, then the flight of Tom Stafford to the point of hovering and selection of a site for landing on Apollo 10. Sending Apollo 11 already provided for the direct landing of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon. Michael Collins remained in orbit and waited for the return of his comrades, " - said Alexei Leonov.

18 Apollo-type ships were made to prepare for the landing on the moon - the entire program was implemented perfectly, except for Apollo 13 - from the point of view of engineering, nothing special happened there, it just went out of order, or rather, one of the fuel cells, the energy weakened, and therefore it was decided not to land on the surface, but to fly around the Moon and return to Earth.

Alexei Leonov noted that only the first flight around the moon by Frank Bormann, then the landing of Armstrong and Aldrin on the moon and the story of Apollo 13 remained in the memory of the Americans. These accomplishments have brought the American nation together and made every individual empathize, walk with fingers crossed, and pray for their heroes. The last flight of the Apollo series was also extremely interesting: American astronauts no longer just walked on the Moon, but traveled on its surface in a special lunar vehicle, making interesting photographs.

Actually there was a peak cold war, and in this situation, after the success of Yuri Gagarin, the Americans simply had to win the "moon race". The USSR then had its own lunar program, and we also implemented it. By 1968, it had already existed for two years, and even the crews of our cosmonauts were formed for a flight to the Moon.

On censorship of the achievements of mankind

"The launches of the Americans as part of the lunar program were broadcast on television, and only two countries in the world - the USSR and communist China - did not broadcast these historical footage to their peoples. I thought then, and now I think - in vain, we simply robbed our people , flight to the moon is the property and achievement of all mankind.The Americans watched Gagarin's launch, Leonov's spacewalk - why Soviet people couldn’t see it?!”, laments Alexei Leonov.

According to him, a limited group of Soviet space specialists watched these launches through a closed channel.

“We had military unit 32103 on Komsomolsky Prospekt, which provided space broadcasting, since there was no TsUP in Korolev then. The Americans set up a television antenna on the surface of the moon, and everything they did there was transmitted through a television camera to Earth, several repetitions of these television broadcasts were also made.When Armstrong stood on the surface of the moon, and everyone in the USA clapped, we are here in the USSR , Soviet cosmonauts, also crossed their fingers for good luck, and sincerely wished the guys success, "recalls the Soviet cosmonaut.

How was the implementation of the Soviet lunar program

“In 1962, a decree was issued, signed personally by Nikita Khrushchev, on the creation of a spacecraft for flying around the moon and using the Proton launch vehicle with an upper stage for this launch. In 1964, Khrushchev signed a program for the USSR to carry out a flyby , and in 1968 - landing on the moon and returning to Earth. And in 1966 there was already a decision on the formation of lunar crews - a group was immediately recruited for landing on the moon, "Alexey Leonov recalled.

The first stage of the flyby of the Earth satellite was to be carried out with the help of the launch of the L-1 lunar module by the Proton launch vehicle, and the second stage - landing and returning back - on the giant and most powerful N-1 rocket, equipped with thirty engines with a total thrust of 4.5 thousand tons with the weight of the rocket itself about 2 thousand tons. However, even after four test launches, this super-heavy rocket did not fly normally, so it had to be abandoned in the end.

Korolev and Glushko: the antipathy of two geniuses

"There were other options, for example, using a 600-ton engine developed by the brilliant designer Valentin Glushko, but Sergei Korolev refused it, since he worked on highly toxic heptyl. Although, in my opinion, this was not the reason - just two leaders , Korolev and Glushko - could not and did not want to work together. Their relationship had its own problems of a purely personal nature: Sergei Korolev, for example, knew that Valentin Glushko had once written a denunciation against him, as a result of which he was sentenced to ten years When Korolyov was released, he found out about this, but Glushko did not know that he knew about it, "said Alexei Leonov.

A small step for a man, but a giant leap for all mankind

NASA's Apollo 11 spacecraft on July 20, 1969, with a crew of three astronauts: Commander Neil Armstrong, Lunar Module Pilot Edwin Aldrin, and Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, became the first to reach the Moon in the USSR-US space race. Americans did not pursue research tasks on this expedition, its goal was simple: to land on the Earth's satellite and return successfully.

The ship consisted of a lunar module and a command module that remained in orbit during the mission. Thus, of the three astronauts, only two went to the moon: Armstrong and Aldrin. They had to land on the moon, collect samples of the lunar soil, take pictures on the Earth satellite and install several instruments. However, the main ideological component of the trip was still the hoisting of the American flag on the moon and the holding of a video communication session with the Earth.

The launch of the ship was watched by US President Richard Nixon and German rocket scientist Hermann Oberth. At the cosmodrome and mounted observation platforms, the launch was observed in total about a million people, and the television broadcast, according to the Americans, was watched by more than a billion people around the world.

Apollo 11 launched to the moon on July 16, 1969 at 1332 GMT and entered lunar orbit 76 hours later. The command and lunar modules were undocked about 100 hours after launch. Despite the fact that NASA intended to land on the lunar surface in automatic mode, Armstrong, as the expedition commander, decided to land the lunar module in semi-automatic mode.

The lunar module landed on the Sea of Tranquility on July 20 at 20:17:42 GMT. Armstrong descended to the lunar surface on July 21, 1969 at 02:56:20 GMT. Everyone knows the phrase that he uttered when he stepped on the moon: "This is one small step for a person, but a giant leap for all mankind."

Aldrin also landed on the moon 15 minutes later. Astronauts collected required amount materials, placed devices and installed a television camera. After that, they planted an American flag in the field of view of the camera and held a communication session with President Nixon. The astronauts left a commemorative plaque on the moon with the words: "Here, people from planet Earth first set foot on the moon. July 1969 new era. We come in peace on behalf of all Humanity."

Aldrin was on the moon for about an hour and a half, Armstrong for two hours and ten minutes. At the 125th hour of the mission and the 22nd hour of stay on the Moon, the lunar module was launched from the surface of the Earth's satellite. The crew splashed down on the blue planet about 195 hours after the start of the mission, soon the astronauts were picked up by the aircraft carrier that came to the rescue.

July 3, 1969, Baikonur Cosmodrome. In the foreground is the Soviet lunar rocket N-1 (product No. 5L). In the background is a fitting rocket for testing ground launch systems (note that there is no emergency rescue system on the fitting rocket).

The closure of the Soviet manned program of flights to the moon occurred in June 1974, at the same time the entire cosmonaut detachment was disbanded. The following month, rockets ready for launch were cut into pieces. The destruction of the technological backlog led to a 15-year lag in the development of astronautics. What is to blame? Why did they stop trying to get to the moon?

It is often said that the industry of the USSR could not create a spacecraft for flying to the Moon, that there was no appropriate technological base. They also say that it was simply impossible to compete with the United States. But the main reason for the failure of the project, which cost 4 billion rubles at 1974 prices. rub., was the inability of various departments to agree among themselves and the personal aspirations of some leaders.

The US started the lunar program with the sole purpose of surpassing the USSR after the Russians launched the world's first satellite, took pictures of the far side of the moon, and launched the first man into space. Landing a man on the moon was the last chance. To achieve this goal, the best representatives of science were gathered, orders were given to the most suitable corporations in the absence of competition. The USSR usually followed this path.

The Soviet lunar program was just a response to the United States. The Moon itself was not of interest to the leaders of OKB-1 Korolev. But the United States challenged and the USSR accepted it. The N-1 rocket project was a continuation of the existing project, which was developed as a means of delivering a hydrogen bomb and launching large complexes into orbit, many times larger than the later Soyuz, Salyut and Mir.

The implementation of the lunar program was not economically feasible. But the Central Committee of the CPSU did not refuse it. According to the Decree of the Government, issued in 1960, it was planned to create a new rocket system for launching into orbit a heavy spacecraft weighing up to 60-80 tons, creating new rocket engines, control systems and space radio communications. In 1964, a new goal was set - a manned flight to the moon and landing on its surface before the Americans.

The L-1 lunar project became the cause of a fierce struggle between the design bureaus of Korolev and Chelomey. The existing Proton launch vehicle could theoretically make a manned flight around the Moon, but the memories of the participants in the events indicate that Korolev refused to put astronauts on a poisonous rocket. The fact is that heptyl served as fuel for the Proton, oxidizer - Nitric acid. In Kazakhstan, many poisonings were recorded among local residents who used the first stages of Protons in their household. Official information claimed that the use of the Proton was abandoned due to too high overloads that the astronauts could not withstand.

A difficult test for the project was the conflict between Korolev and Glushko, as a result of which the latter abandoned the development of an engine for a rocket. The work was transferred to the Kuznetsov design bureau.

It was planned that two astronauts would participate in the lunar project, and only one would descend to the surface of the moon, while the second was supposed to remain in orbit. A.A. was supposed to be the first person to walk on the moon. Leonov, Yu.A. was supposed to act as an understudy. Gagarin. The N-1 launch vehicle was designed to deliver the Soyuz spacecraft with a manned lunar module into the lunar orbit.

So why didn't it happen? One of the reasons was austerity. Four H-1 launches were unsuccessful due to the first stage for which no testbed was built. Since all the first stage engines were tested separately, it was impossible to determine the cause of the stage failure.

When it became known that the Americans were about to go to the moon, Leonov was eager to fly, but they did not let him in, which saved his life. H-1 launched on February 21, 1969 without a crew, six months before the launch of Apollo 11. The rocket exploded shortly after the start of the flight. The second attempt was made on July 3, 1969. The rocket exploded right on the launch pad, almost completely destroying the launch complex. Even then it became clear that we would not be the first to get to the moon.

Korolev and Gagarin pass away. These two deaths were tantamount to the death of Russian astronautics. And it's not that there were no other talented designers and trained cosmonauts. Korolev and Gagarin were well received in the Kremlin, their opinion was listened to. Korolev not only argued with anyone, regardless of rank, he knew how to present his project in such a way that the military advocated the need for its implementation. The first satellite was a beacon for ballistic missiles. He also convinced the military that the construction of a base on the moon would allow the whole world to be held at gunpoint. He kept silent about the practically unbearable cost of the project for the country. The military seized on the idea. In addition, the N-1 rocket could launch stations weighing over 100 tons into orbit, such as the Zvezda station, which was conceived for military purposes.

Korolev knew how to use the needs and desires of the military in own purposes, knocking out funds for the implementation of their projects. For Korolev himself, the flight to the Moon was only the first step towards a flight to Mars.

The change of leadership in the design office did not bring anything good. Funding decreased significantly, the test bench was not built. The launch complex was restored, but the next attempts to launch the rocket were not successful due to the same reason for the failure of the first stage. And the Americans have already accepted congratulations on the successful landing on the moon. The Soviet lunar program was curtailed, Mars was also forgotten.

However, another attempt was made. The hopes of the domestic cosmonautics were associated with the Energia rocket. The tests were successful. But the rocket was buried under the collapsed roof of the assembly and test building at Baikonur. This put the final end to Russia's plans. The United States has become a leader in space exploration. There is no point in trying to compete with them by spending hundreds of billions on flights.

Russia's leadership in space is a thing of the past due to the curtailment of the lunar program and a change in leadership in astronautics. Today's undisputed leader is the United States. But if the country's leadership had not forgotten Tsiolkovsky's words that he who conquered space would own the world, the situation could have turned out differently.

Who can become the leader tomorrow? Most likely China. Its space program is quite fantastic, the moon landing project should be completed with the construction of a lunar base by 2021. Many do not believe in the feasibility of this project, but China has already proven that it is capable of very unexpected things, at least the super-rapid growth of its economy speaks of this.

Photo of the secret lunar program of the USSR

These photographic materials are one of the remaining evidence to date that the USSR also tried to land a man on the moon - obviously, after they could not, or, more precisely, did not have time to do it, they forgot about the program.

However, fortunately, little disappears forever and without a trace. The photographs that we can see show one of the laboratories of the Moscow aviation institute, as well as aerospace equipment, including a spacecraft and a lunar lander.

The history of the "Moon Race" is well known to many contemporaries: before the American President John F. Kennedy initiated the launch of the Apollo program, Soviet Union significantly ahead of the United States in matters of lunar exploration. In particular, in 1959 the Luna-2 automatic interplanetary station was delivered to the surface of the Moon, and in 1966 a Soviet satellite entered its orbit.

Like the Americans, Soviet scientists developed a multi-step approach to the task at hand. They also had two separate modules for orbiting and landing.

While the Apollo 11 crew included three members, the entire burden of the Soviet lunar program had to lie on the shoulders of one cosmonaut - thus, the weight of the equipment was significantly reduced. In addition, there were other differences that made the Soviet apparatus lighter. First of all, these include the relative simplicity of the design, the use of the same engine for landing and takeoff, as well as the lack of direct connection between the orbital and lunar module. This meant that the astronaut would need to go to outer space, to climb into the lander before landing and, later, to climb back into the orbiter after returning from the Moon. After that, the lunar module was disconnected, and the spacecraft went to Earth without it.

The main reason that prevented the Soviet side from landing a man on the moon was the failures with launch vehicles. Despite the fact that the first two test launches were successful, the rocket crashed during the third. In the fourth test, conducted in 1971, a test spacecraft returned to Earth along an incorrect trajectory, hitting Australian airspace, as a result of which an international scandal could arise: Soviet diplomats allegedly had to convince Australians that the object falling on them was a test spacecraft. Kosmos-434 module, not a nuclear warhead.

After several failures, the program became too expensive, and after the Americans presented the world with documentary evidence of the success of the Apollo 11 mission, it completely lost its meaning. As a result, space equipment has become something of a museum piece.

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July 3, 1969, Baikonur Cosmodrome. In the foreground is the Soviet lunar rocket N-1 (product No. 5L). In the background is a fitting rocket for testing ground launch systems (note that there is no emergency rescue system on the fitting rocket).

The implementation of the lunar program was not economically feasible. But the Central Committee of the CPSU did not refuse it. According to the Decree of the Government, issued in 1960, it was supposed to create a new rocket system for launching into orbit a heavy spacecraft weighing up to 60-80 tons, the creation of new rocket engines, control systems and space radio communications. In 1964, a new goal was set - a manned flight to the moon and landing on its surface before the Americans.

The L-1 lunar project became the cause of a fierce struggle between the design bureaus of Korolev and Chelomey. The existing Proton launch vehicle could theoretically make a manned flight around the Moon, but the memories of the participants in the events indicate that Korolev refused to put astronauts on a poisonous rocket. The fact is that heptyl served as fuel for the Proton, and nitric acid served as an oxidizer. In Kazakhstan, many poisonings were recorded among local residents who used the first stages of Protons in their household. Official information claimed that the use of the Proton was abandoned due to too high overloads that the astronauts could not withstand.

Korolev knew how to use the needs and desires of the military for his own purposes, knocking out funds for the implementation of his projects. For Korolev himself, the flight to the Moon was only the first step towards a flight to Mars.