N1F - Sr Media Gallery

The final more modest version of the N1M replaced the fourth and fifth stages of the N1 with the single liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen Block Sr stage. Development of the Sr stage was from May 1971 until cancellation of the N1 project in May 1974.

Manufacturer: Korolev. Liftoff Thrust: 38,990.000 kN (8,765,300 lbf). Total Mass: 2,677,900 kg (5,903,700 lb). Core Diameter: 10.00 m (32.00 ft). Total Length: 94.00 m (308.00 ft).

• Stage Number: 1. 1 x Stage: N1F Block A. Gross Mass: 2,070,000 kg (4,560,000 lb). Empty Mass: 126,230 kg (278,280 lb). Thrust (vac): 49,675.500 kN (11,167,497 lbf). Isp: 331 sec. Burn time: 125 sec. Isp(sl): 297 sec. Diameter: 10.00 m (32.00 ft). Span: 15.60 m (51.10 ft). Length: 30.00 m (98.00 ft). Propellants: Lox/Kerosene. No Engines: 30. Engine: NK-33. Status: Development ended 1971. Includes 14,000 kg for Stage 1-2 interstage.

• Stage Number: 2. 1 x Stage: N1F Block B. Gross Mass: 620,000 kg (1,360,000 lb). Empty Mass: 55,700 kg (122,700 lb). Thrust (vac): 14,040.004 kN (3,156,318 lbf). Isp: 346 sec. Burn time: 120 sec. Diameter: 6.80 m (22.30 ft). Span: 9.80 m (32.10 ft). Length: 20.00 m (65.00 ft). Propellants: Lox/Kerosene. No Engines: 8. Engine: NK-43. Status: Development ended 1971. Includes 3,500 kg for Stage 2-3 interstage.

• Stage Number: 3. 1 x Stage: N1F Block V. Gross Mass: 210,000 kg (460,000 lb). Empty Mass: 13,700 kg (30,200 lb). Thrust (vac): 1,608.000 kN (361,492 lbf). Isp: 353 sec. Burn time: 370 sec. Diameter: 4.80 m (15.70 ft). Span: 6.80 m (22.30 ft). Length: 12.00 m (39.00 ft). Propellants: Lox/Kerosene. No Engines: 4. Engine: NK-39. Status: Development ended 1971.

• Stage Number: 4. 1 x Stage: N1 Block Sr. Gross Mass: 77,900 kg (171,700 lb). Empty Mass: 11,500 kg (25,300 lb). Thrust (vac): 147.880 kN (33,245 lbf). Isp: 441 sec. Burn time: 1,910 sec. Diameter: 5.20 m (17.00 ft). Span: 5.20 m (17.00 ft). Length: 16.50 m (54.10 ft). Propellants: Lox/LH2. No Engines: 2. Engine: RD-56M. Status: Development ended 1974. Upper stage developed 1971-1974 to support manned lunar expedition. Replaced Blok R/Blok S previously under development. Capable of five restarts and 11 days of flight. Could insert 24 tonnes into lunar orbit or 20 tonnes into geosynch orbit.

1967 October 10 - Launch Vehicle: N-IFV-III, N1F Sr.

• Lunar Soviet Nation: USSR. Program: Lunar L1, Lunar L3. Spacecraft: L5-1967. The meeting is headed by Afanasyev. The first N1 will have a payload of only 76 tonnes, versus the 95 tonnes required for the L3 lunar landing complex. In order to land two cosmonauts on the moon, as the Americans are planning, a 105 tonne low earth orbit payload would be needed. This would require new engines in the first and second stages. Kuznetsov says that his 153 tonne engine could be uprated to 170 tonnes without any basic changes. Lox/LH2 engines would be needed for the upper stages. Keldysh questions the safety of the current plan of landing only one cosmonaut on the moon. Mishin replies that putting two cosmonauts on the moon simply is not possible with the N1. Chelomei raises a question - How is it possible that the Americans have built he Saturn V, which can put 130 tonnes in low earth orbit, in order to land two men on the moon, and Mishin says he can do the same mission with 105 tonnes? Mishin claims that this is due to the lighter design and construction of the L3. The following decisions are made:
  • The first Soviet flight to he moon will use the current plan - one N1 launch, one cosmonaut on the moon.
  • Special measures must be taken to ensure the safety of that single cosmonaut
  • A new N1 model is to be developed to land the new L5 spacecraft (which will be able to handle 4 to 5 crew, 1.5 to 2.0 tonnes of scientific equipment, and spend three months on the lunar surface). This is to be ready two to three years after the first landing.
  • The Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Defence, and MOM are to develop a program of military and scientific experiments to be carried aboard the L3
  • The next meeting of the lunar soviet will be in November/December 1967
  References: 376.

• Block Sr Lox/LH2 stage development begins Nation: USSR. The final version of the N1M replaced the fourth and fifth stages of the N1 with the single liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen Block Sr stage.

• Development of Block R LH2/LOX stage begins Nation: USSR. Program: Buran. Development of the Block Sr for the N1M cancelled; work on the smaller Block R LH2/LOX stage was resumed. This stage was eventually to have been used on the Buran / Vulkan launch vehicles. References: 21.

• Glushko uninterested in further lunar base work Nation: USSR. Spacecraft: Buran, LZhM, LZM, Lunokhod LEK, LEK. Bushuyev tells Chertok that the lunar base work did not interest Glushko. The VPK Military-Industrial Commission was only interested in duplicating the American shuttle, not in any other ventures in space. With the N1-Sr booster, Russia could have had a six man lunar base established with 8 to 10 launches in the late 1970's. Bushuyev died on 26 October 1978, having seen his dream completely tossed away.References: 367.

• Semenov, Yu. P., S P Korolev Space Corporation Energia, RKK Energia, 1994. ISBN: 1896522815. Dual English/Russian language picture book of the history of the Energia Corporation. Many unique photos and drawings of Korolev's rockets and spacecraft. Republished by Apogee books in 2000. More at amazon.com...