Space Rocket History #94 – Soyuz Development – Part 3

Posted on January 1, 2015 by spac9750

After Voskhod-2, an ideological vacuum, disorder, and vacillation cropped up in the Soviet maned space program. There was no clear-cut answer to which project should be the priority, a new series of Voskhods, artificial gravity experiments, or the construction of the Soyuzes. However, during August 1965 the wavering ended. First priority was given to the Soyuzes. A real all-hands rush job to develop and manufacture Soyuzes got underway. A new un-realistic schedule was created that required OKB-1 to supply, three Soyuz flight vehicles ready for testing, two in December of 1965 and one in January of 1966.

Shuttle vs. Soyuz Size

Igla Docking System

Proton K

Dec 18

Space Rocket History #93 – Soyuz Development – Part 2 – Rivals

Posted on December 18, 2014 by spac9750

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The circumlunar plan involved 3 new spacecrafts. First the Soyuz A 7K spacecraft, capable of carrying three men, (2 men for a circumlunar flight) into space and returning them to earth. The 5.5 ton spacecraft has three modules, the orbital module, the re-entry module, and the service module.

The second new spacecraft is the Soyuz B 9K booster stage, with a fueled mass of 18 tons. After docking with the 7K, the 9K is capable of boosting the combined spacecraft out of earth orbit on a course to the moon.

The third new space craft is called Soyuz V 11k tanker. It has a mass of 5 tons. It is used to ferry fuel from the earth to the 9K Booster. It will take 4 tankers to fill the 9K booster with enough fuel to push the Soyuz 7K on a path to the moon.

Soyuz A, B, V

Vladimir Chelomey

Boris Chertok

Soyuz 7K-OK

Dec 11

Space Rocket History #92 – Soyuz Development – Part 1

Posted on December 11, 2014 by spac9750

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Hey everyone. I have been sick for a week and unable to talk, without coughing up a lung. But, I didn’t want you to miss your weekly dose of Space Rocket History. My wife agreed to help me out with the vocal part of this episode. This is her first podcast so please be nice to her. Hopefully, I will be able to speak a complete sentence without coughing my head off next week.

I want to thank my wife, Caroline Annis from the bottom of my heart for her help with this episode.