Superraket

The ancestor of the N1 lunar launch vehicle, this was the first heavy lift launch vehicle actively considered in the USSR. The 2,000 tonne liftoff mass was similar to the later N1 design, but the first stage would use a staggering cluster of around 66 Kuznetsov NK-9 engines (as opposed to the modest 24 NK-15's of the first N1 configuration). The real difference was in the second stage, which used the nuclear YaRD engine, giving the launch vehicle nearly double the later N1's payload capacity.

Manufacturer: Korolev. LEO Payload: 150,000 kg (330,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. Liftoff Thrust: 29,313.600 kN (6,589,959 lbf). Total Mass: 2,030,000 kg (4,470,000 lb). Core Diameter: 9.00 m (29.50 ft). Total Length: 64.00 m (209.00 ft).

• Stage Number: 1. 1 x Stage: Superraket Block A. Gross Mass: 1,150,000 kg (2,530,000 lb). Empty Mass: 100,000 kg (220,000 lb). Thrust (vac): 33,656.000 kN (7,566,169 lbf). Isp: 310 sec. Burn time: 90 sec. Isp(sl): 270 sec. Diameter: 9.00 m (29.50 ft). Span: 15.00 m (49.00 ft). Length: 27.00 m (88.00 ft). Propellants: Lox/Kerosene. No Engines: 66. Engine: NK-9. Status: Development ended 1959. Ancestor of N1 Block A; conical liquid oxygen/kerosene stage using massive cluster of Kuznetsov engines. Gross mass estimated based on 2,000 tonne total vehicle weight; empty mass estimated.

• Stage Number: 2. 1 x Stage: Superraket Block B. Gross Mass: 700,000 kg (1,540,000 lb). Empty Mass: 75,000 kg (165,000 lb). Thrust (vac): 8,330.000 kN (1,872,650 lbf). Isp: 550 sec. Burn time: 400 sec. Isp(sl): 500 sec. Diameter: 9.00 m (29.50 ft). Span: 9.00 m (29.50 ft). Length: 26.00 m (85.00 ft). Propellants: Nuclear/Ammonia. No Engines: 2. Engine: YaRD OKB-456. Status: Development ended 1959. Nuclear engine operating at 3500 deg K. Mass estimated; empty mass calculated.

• 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...