Space Stations launched by N1

Jackryan

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Th N1 rocketwas built back in the 60's by the USSR to put a man on the Moon, but I have read that it also had the goal of launching heavy military space hardware, including space stations, and putting it in Earth orbit. I konow the Almaz project and the Polyus satellite, but the former were launched by Proton rockets and the latter with an Energia. So, what about those intended for N1?
Thanks!
 
If only astronautix was not dead ! There was a huge thing called the MKBS - a big space station to be launched by the N-1.
(the old, outdated astronautix is still there...) http://www.friends-partners.org/partners/mwade/craft/mkbs.htm
 
This looks fatastic! What a pitty it never got built...I wonder if it would have been feasible at that time, though, besides the problems with N1...Nevertheless, it's so surprising to me! And surely interesting evn for future projects! Thanks a lot!
 
Too bad web archive is blocked by many companies (mine included).
 
here a orginal BIG soviet Space station 1960s design concept


http://www.buran.ru/images/jpg/18a-2_bolsh-stan_corr.jpg
 
Archibald said:
If only astronautix was not dead !

A legitimate historian would not use it a primary source, it is no different than wikipedia
 
Byeman said:
OM said:
Archibald said:
If only astronautix was not dead !

...Whoever was responsible for the DDOS attack should be beaten to death with a baseball bat. Mark's site was a primary resource for space historians, and it's loss will be felt for quite some time.

A legitimate historian would not use it a primary source, it is no different than wikipedia

...And *you* are such? Regardless, Mark did an excellent job for over a decade running Astronautix, and unlike Wikipedia and some of its admins, he was far more amiable and receptive where corrections were concerned. You may have a grudge against Mark Waid, but there are far more people appreciative of his efforts and confident in his accuracy.

Pray tell, what have *you* done that comes anywhere near close?
 
This is what I got in my files:

Originally intended to place a 70 tons unmanned Mars payload into Earth orbit as well as military applications, the Nosital (N)-1 launch vehicle was developed by the Korolev design bureau for the USSR’s crewed lunar programme. For a long time the existence of the launch vehicle was (well informed) speculation of western observers and details were not released by the USSR until 1989 and later.
Another name was 11A52. The US Library of Congress adopted the designation G-1-e and the Dept. of Defense SL-15.

The 105.30 m long N-1 was capable of placing a 70,000 kg payload into a low orbit. In total 13 N-1s were built. Three of these were used for tests, four were launched, all of which were failures, whilst another six were never used.
The first launch took place on 21 February 1969 and the last flight was on 23 November 1972.

Further development was cancelled in May 1974, along with development versions such as the N-1F (with a Sr cryogenic upper stage), N-11 and N-111.
Proposal for a heavy space station made by the Korolyev OKB in 1961. With a length of 52 m, diameter of 4.2 m and mass of 150 tons, it would have provided room for three cosmonauts which would be conducting military and scientific missions. The core module was to be placed in orbit by an N-1 flight in 1965, with another three modules to follow. Crews would be rotated on a monthly basis using the Soyuz vehicles.


 

The N-1F first three stages were 17 m, 10 m, and 8 m in diameter. Never quite understood which diameter would the station (the greyish stage and the green one, too) had been - probably matching the third stage. A little wider than Skylab then.

mkbs1.jpg
 
The third stage is conical, so the station diameter would match the top of the third stage.
 
Here more detail on MKBS


the Diameter of Two Cores are 6 meters each weight of around 80 tons
the Module at end of the arms are in size of Salut/Mir space station and are launched with Proton rockets

So far i can determine there only two launch of N1 rocket for the two Core modules,
Then series of Proton launches for two habitat module, additional Modules and TKS supply
and launch of 3~2 Soyuz to bring crew of 6 to that Station and a modified Soyuz as Space tug
 
The third stage is conical, so the station diameter would match the top of the third stage.

you are right 5.5 m then...

Since the Block G was the translunar stage akin to the S-IVB, I suppose the MKBS would have been launched by a Block A-B-V, three stages N-1F ?

damn, that rocket had so many stages, it is hard to keep track... :p

THREE STAGES N-1F (LEO)

Capture.PNG

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FOUR STAGES N-1F (lunar booster)

Capture.PNG
 
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Thanks to the contributors for the information and illustration. Great job on the analysis, Archibald. This is a fascinating design and project.

Sorry for my ignorance...Did this station rotate so that there would be artificial gravity in those smaller "outrigger modules"?
 
Thks !! Yes, the truss in the middle rotates with the Salyuts at the tips. With a variable speed it is possible to simulate Earth Moon and Mars different gravities.
 
Thank you for the explanation, Archibald.

Many years ago, I read Lebedev's Diary of his Salyut 7 flight, "Diary of a Cosmonaut". He wasted a lot of time trying to compress his spine between two structural components, as he would get horrible debilitating headaches from the weightlessness. Between this problem, the miserable stuffy sinus condition that most astronauts report, and other serious problems that astronauts face, it just occurred to me how important a viable artificial gravity solution would be for long term space travel, or even to improve LEO flights.

The ability to vary the artificial gravity would be very useful not only for LEO research, but to accustom crews on the way to various deep space destinations.

Great concept. The Russians sometimes have a very different thought process from the Americans, and devise fascinating answers to problems.

Bravo from Texas.
 
Well if they had flown the N-11 in place of the Proton from 1966-67 they would have flight qualified all the upper stages - B, V or B V G. But the first stage, really, it was tricky... Bench testing and hot fires of the Block A before launch never happened, so whatever flaw in the stage or engines erupted in flight, with obvious consequences (KABOOM goes the rocket, 4 times a row, taking the launch pad with it a couple of times).

Despite these incredible odds, the fourth flight on November 23, 1972 was only 14 seconds away from balky first stage separation when the explosion happened. And they were confident enough the fifth flight in August 1974 would make it through. Alas, Glushko and Buran decided otherwise.

The most insane development of the story is that Glushko finally developped a F-1 class engine, the RD-270 (although on storable props).
Not only he did that after screwing Korolev, but he did it for a rival, Chelomei, with a paper rocket only (UR-700). The engine was bench tested, worked rather well, but was never used. o_O o_O o_O :eek::eek:
The RD-270 was 600 mt when the N-1 needed 30*150 tons, 4500 mt thrust at lift-off. Eight RD-270s at 4800 mt would have been enough, and this new first stage would have been similar to the Block B, also with eight engines... eight engines, they knew how to make it work.

A pretty worrying issue however would be another "July 1969 explosion" with that big storable stage. Yikes ! In April 1969 a smaller Proton did exactly that, and the pad was so contaminated, only rain saved the day washing the storable props away.
And when asked about this, Chelomei just said "my rockets are reliable, this simply won't happen." sure, man. :eek::eek::eek::eek:
 
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The RD-270 had it own issue
Glushko had fetish on Hypergolic Propellants because there were easier as Kerolox
It was first full-flow staged combustion cycle engine to be build and Tested (SpaceX Raptor same concept, but it flew !)
27 test firings were performed with 22 engines during 1967-69.
there several explanation why the RD-270 never flew, one is that as UR-700 program was stop also RD-270 program.
next to that there Story that RD-270 had issue with combustion instability and needed more testing.
and that little Proton mishap in 1969, with Bunch of Officials running for there life, play also a role in that...

N1 was victim of it's Designer dead and take over by less competent Engineer
The last one made allot of Design changes on N1 in order to increase it Payload and proposed 12 Test launches until first payload.
Use of Super chilled LOX could be reason why the LOX feedline rupture from Engines

Another possibly is 90° turn of Feedline into the Engines (allot illustration of N1 show this design)
it could be possible that LOX feed line rupture do flow problem or to pogo of Vertical install Turbopump of NK-15

NK-15 Engines who quality surveillance was doing a counting-out game, send those engine to test stand, the rest to N1 factory !
 

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