The Soviet Union's Bold Plan for a Moonbase

🌕The Soviet Union was ahead of the US in the space race during the 1960s and 70s, with several achievements like the first human object to reach the moon (Luna 2).

🚀The N1 rocket, designed by Sergey Korolev, was the key to the Soviet Union's moon mission. It was intended to outperform NASA's Saturn 5 rocket.

🌗The Soviet Union planned to build a moonbase called Viesta, consisting of nine modules buried under lunar regolith and powered by a nuclear fission reactor.

🚂The moonbase plan included a train on the moon, which would serve as part of the base's infrastructure for resource extraction and transportation.

💥The N1 rocket faced technical problems and the death of chief engineer Sergey Korolev, leading to its failure and the cancellation of the moonbase plan.

How did the Soviet Union surpass the US in the early years of the space race?

—The Soviet Union achieved several milestones, including the first human object to reach the moon (Luna 2) and the first person to orbit the Earth (Yuri Gagarin). They had a strong focus on space exploration and a robust rocket program.

What was the purpose of the Viesta moonbase?

—The Viesta moonbase was intended to be a self-sufficient habitation system, supporting a crew of up to 12 cosmonauts. It aimed to establish a long-term presence on the moon for scientific research and resource extraction.

Why did the N1 rocket fail?

—The N1 rocket faced technical challenges, including combustion instability and engine malfunctions. Additionally, the death of chief engineer Sergey Korolev, who designed the rocket, impacted its development and ultimate failure.

What other plans did the Soviet Union have for space exploration?

—Apart from the moonbase plan, the Soviet Union had ambitious plans for Mars missions and crewed interplanetary travel. However, these plans remained on paper due to technical and political challenges.

Did the Soviet Union ever achieve their moonbase plan?

—No, the moonbase plan was ultimately canceled due to the failure of the N1 rocket and the death of key personnel. The Soviet Union never achieved a crewed lunar landing or established a moonbase.

00:02The Soviet Union was ahead of the US in the space race during the 1960s and 70s, achieving significant milestones like the first human object to reach the moon (Luna 2) and the first person to orbit the Earth (Yuri Gagarin).

03:14The Soviet Union had an ambitious plan to build a moonbase called Viesta using the powerful N1 rocket. The moonbase would consist of nine modules buried under lunar regolith, powered by a nuclear fission reactor, and equipped with infrastructure like a train for resource extraction and transportation.

07:23The N1 rocket, designed by Sergey Korolev, was the key to the Soviet Union's moon mission. However, technical problems and the death of Korolev led to the failure of the N1 rocket and the cancellation of the moonbase plan.