Soyuz 7K-L1

Soyuz 7K-L1
Manufacturer	OKB-1
Country of origin	Soviet Union
Applications	Carry cosmonauts around the Moon and back to Earth
Production
Status	Cancelled programme
Built	15
Launched	12
Retired	3
Related spacecraft
Derived from	Soyuz 7K-OK
Derivatives	Soyuz 7K-LOK [citation needed]

The Soyuz 7K-L1 "Zond" spacecraft was designed to launch cosmonauts from the Earth to circle the Moon without going into lunar orbit in the context of the Soviet crewed Moon-flyby program in the Moon race. It was based on the Soyuz 7K-OK.^[2] Several modifications reduced vehicle mass and increased circumlunar capability. The most notable modifications were the replacement of the orbital module with a support cone and a high-gain parabolic antenna, the removal of a reserve parachute, and the addition of the gyro platform and star navigation sensors for the far space navigation. The spacecraft was capable of carrying two cosmonauts. At the start of flight testing, there were serious reliability problems with the new Proton rocket, the 7K-L1, and the Soyuz 7K-OK that the L1 was based on.

^ Siddiqi, Asif (March 2003). Simpson, Clive; Owens, Lucy (eds.). "Soyuz variants: a 40-year history" (PDF). British Interplanetary Society. 45 (3): 119.
^ "Soyuz 7K-L1". astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2018.

[1] Siddiqi, Asif (March 2003). Simpson, Clive; Owens, Lucy (eds.). "Soyuz variants: a 40-year history" (PDF). British Interplanetary Society. 45 (3): 119.

[2] "Soyuz 7K-L1". astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2018.

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