Zvezda (moonbase)
Encyclopedia
Zvezda moonbase also DLB Lunar Base — plan and project of 1962—1974 of Soviet manned moonbase as successor N1-L3 manned lunar expedition program. It was the first detailed such project more developed than early US Horizon
and Lunex
projects and later Apollo Lunar Base Wernher von Braun
and NASA
proposal. Zvezda moonbase was cancelled as part of the cancellation of Soviet manned lunar programs.
and nuclear reactor
.
Developing of project of moonbase was ordered by Soviet space chief Korolyov to Barmin
's Spetcmash bureau. Project was named DLB Lunar Base in technical specifications and Zvezda in government. Unofficially project had name Barmingrad (Barmin's city) amongst a designers.
Under project were studied a several themes:
The train had a 8 ton mass and would be operated by 4 cosmonauts and consist of tug, life, energy and drilling modules. Chassis of each module had 8 wheels with separate drive each as realised on Lunokhods.
Modules of base and train had a meteor, heat and ultraviolet protection by 3 layers. Between external and internal metal layers was the special styrofoam. The Train had a manipulator arm which would have enabled the collection of samples of soil without the use of Space suit
s.
Water could be generated from moon soil by chemical reaction. Lavochkin
bureau was developed but not tested on Moon this unit in a smaller size.
The base would have had a crew of 9 to 12.
The common project was fulfilled to 1971. Barmin had meet with defence minister Ustinov
who was responsible for Soviet space programs. After more than 6 hours of talking Ustinov agreed to support the project.
Under project the detailed drawings and mockups of modules were developed.
The realization of project depended from key part of N1-L3 program - N-1 superheavy launcher, all 4 starts of that in 1969-1972 were failure. Before the cancellation of all Soviet manned moon program the new project N1F-L3M was proposed for an expeditions since 1979 with more durations than Apollo that may continue by successor creation of Zvezda moonbase in 1980s. Also, then the new LEK Lunar Expeditionary Complex
as transportation to Moon and moonbase was proposed.
New Soviet space chief Glushko
closed the N1-L3 program in 1974 but proposed the new Vulkan-LEK project for expeditions to Moon based on new superheavy launcher developed in his bureau, but this project was not realized either.
According to counts of project from developers, a moon expeditions and construction of moonbase needed nearly 50 billion roubles (80 billion US dollars). The national economy was overloaded by defence expenses and could not carry out a such program.
All Soviet manned lunar programs, including Zvezda moonbase, were under top secret and published in glasnost
epoch since 1990. Before this time Soviet Union officially denied of existence of these programs and assured in the way of near-Earth manned orbital stations and Moon exploration by automatic spacecraft only.
Project Horizon
Project Horizon was a study to determine the feasibility of constructing a scientific / military base on the Moon. On June 8, 1959, a group at the Army Ballistic Missile Agency produced for the U.S. Department of the Army a report entitled Project Horizon, A U.S. Army Study for the Establishment...
and Lunex
Lunex Project
The Lunex Project was a US Air Force 1958 plan for a manned lunar landing prior to the Apollo Program. The final lunar expedition plan in 1961 was for a 21-airman underground Air Force base on the Moon by 1968 at a total cost of $ 7.5 billion....
projects and later Apollo Lunar Base Wernher von Braun
Wernher von Braun
Wernher Magnus Maximilian, Freiherr von Braun was a German rocket scientist, aerospace engineer, space architect, and one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Nazi Germany during World War II and in the United States after that.A former member of the Nazi party,...
and NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
proposal. Zvezda moonbase was cancelled as part of the cancellation of Soviet manned lunar programs.
Implementation
According to the project, main habitation module of base will be delivered on Moon at first. Then a few automatic spacecraft, including lunokhod rover, would be launched to the place of module to recognize the moon soil and external surface of module. Then the moonbase would be ready to accept its first manned expedition and further modules. For the safety of the crew the habitation modules might have been covered with soil. In prospective for an exploration of other places and change dislocation, a habitation modules may be installed on wheel chassies, multiple docked and form a movable train. Eenergy for static base or train would be provided by atomic batteriesAtomic battery
The terms atomic battery, nuclear battery, tritium battery and radioisotope generator are used to describe a device which uses the emissions from a radioactive isotope to generate electricity. Like nuclear reactors they generate electricity from atomic energy, but differ in that they do not use a...
and nuclear reactor
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
.
Developing of project of moonbase was ordered by Soviet space chief Korolyov to Barmin
Vladimir Barmin
Vladimir Pavlovich Barmin was the Soviet scientist, designer of the rocket launch complexes.An asteroid 22254 Vladbarmin was named in his honor....
's Spetcmash bureau. Project was named DLB Lunar Base in technical specifications and Zvezda in government. Unofficially project had name Barmingrad (Barmin's city) amongst a designers.
Under project were studied a several themes:
- aims of base;
- conception of building;
- stages of realization;
- construction and scientific equipment;
- possible military supplies.
Parameters
The main unit of the base was the habitation module. The plan was for the base to consist of 9 such modules, each delivered separately. The modules had control, laboratory, life, medical, dining, store and other specific aims. Each module was to be 8.6 meters in full length and 3.3 meters in diameter, with 18 tons in full weight. The modules were to be 4.5 meters in initial length, and grow to full size by an expanded mechanism and air compression after delivery.The train had a 8 ton mass and would be operated by 4 cosmonauts and consist of tug, life, energy and drilling modules. Chassis of each module had 8 wheels with separate drive each as realised on Lunokhods.
Modules of base and train had a meteor, heat and ultraviolet protection by 3 layers. Between external and internal metal layers was the special styrofoam. The Train had a manipulator arm which would have enabled the collection of samples of soil without the use of Space suit
Space suit
A space suit is a garment worn to keep an astronaut alive in the harsh environment of outer space. Space suits are often worn inside spacecraft as a safety precaution in case of loss of cabin pressure, and are necessary for extra-vehicular activity , work done outside spacecraft...
s.
Water could be generated from moon soil by chemical reaction. Lavochkin
Lavochkin
NPO Lavochkin is a Russian aerospace company. It is a major player in the Russian space program, being the developer and manufacturer of the Fregat upper stage, as well as interplanetary probes such as Phobos Grunt...
bureau was developed but not tested on Moon this unit in a smaller size.
The base would have had a crew of 9 to 12.
Realisation
Zvezda project was not a separate program but further part of N1-L3 expedition program for the 1970s. Delivery of cosmonauts at first time intended by LK moon landing module of L3 spacecraft.The common project was fulfilled to 1971. Barmin had meet with defence minister Ustinov
Dmitriy Ustinov
Dmitriy Feodorovich Ustinov was Minister of Defense of the Soviet Union from 1976 until his death.-Early life:Dimitry Feodorovich Ustinov was born in a working-class family in Samara. During the civil war, when hunger became intolerable, his sick father went to Samarkand, leaving Dimitry as head...
who was responsible for Soviet space programs. After more than 6 hours of talking Ustinov agreed to support the project.
Under project the detailed drawings and mockups of modules were developed.
The realization of project depended from key part of N1-L3 program - N-1 superheavy launcher, all 4 starts of that in 1969-1972 were failure. Before the cancellation of all Soviet manned moon program the new project N1F-L3M was proposed for an expeditions since 1979 with more durations than Apollo that may continue by successor creation of Zvezda moonbase in 1980s. Also, then the new LEK Lunar Expeditionary Complex
LEK Lunar Expeditionary Complex
The LEK Lunar Expeditionary Complex was a lunar expedition and moonbase proposed by Valentin Glushko in 1974 as a Soviet response to the United States' Apollo program and as successor of Zvezda moonbase that based on closed N1-L3 manned moon expedition program...
as transportation to Moon and moonbase was proposed.
New Soviet space chief Glushko
Valentin Glushko
Valentin Petrovich Glushko or Valentyn Petrovych Hlushko was a Soviet engineer, and the principal Soviet designer of rocket engines during the Soviet/American Space Race.-Biography:...
closed the N1-L3 program in 1974 but proposed the new Vulkan-LEK project for expeditions to Moon based on new superheavy launcher developed in his bureau, but this project was not realized either.
According to counts of project from developers, a moon expeditions and construction of moonbase needed nearly 50 billion roubles (80 billion US dollars). The national economy was overloaded by defence expenses and could not carry out a such program.
All Soviet manned lunar programs, including Zvezda moonbase, were under top secret and published in glasnost
Glasnost
Glasnost was the policy of maximal publicity, openness, and transparency in the activities of all government institutions in the Soviet Union, together with freedom of information, introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev in the second half of the 1980s...
epoch since 1990. Before this time Soviet Union officially denied of existence of these programs and assured in the way of near-Earth manned orbital stations and Moon exploration by automatic spacecraft only.
See also
- Moon "Barmingrad". Video. TV Roskosmos
- LEK Lunar Expeditionary ComplexLEK Lunar Expeditionary ComplexThe LEK Lunar Expeditionary Complex was a lunar expedition and moonbase proposed by Valentin Glushko in 1974 as a Soviet response to the United States' Apollo program and as successor of Zvezda moonbase that based on closed N1-L3 manned moon expedition program...
- Energia Lunar ExpeditionEnergia Lunar ExpeditionThe Energia Lunar Expedition was a project that was initiated by Valentin Glushko during 1988 to create a lunar base using the Energia booster. The moon base was to be eventually used for mining helium 3 from the lunar surface.- Hardware :...
- Project HorizonProject HorizonProject Horizon was a study to determine the feasibility of constructing a scientific / military base on the Moon. On June 8, 1959, a group at the Army Ballistic Missile Agency produced for the U.S. Department of the Army a report entitled Project Horizon, A U.S. Army Study for the Establishment...
- Lunex ProjectLunex ProjectThe Lunex Project was a US Air Force 1958 plan for a manned lunar landing prior to the Apollo Program. The final lunar expedition plan in 1961 was for a 21-airman underground Air Force base on the Moon by 1968 at a total cost of $ 7.5 billion....
- Colonization of the MoonColonization of the MoonThe colonization of the Moon is the proposed establishment of permanent human communities on the Moon. Advocates of space exploration have seen settlement of the Moon as a logical step in the expansion of humanity beyond the Earth. Recent indication that water might be present in noteworthy...
- Project A119Project A119Project A119, also known as "A Study of Lunar Research Flights", was a top-secret plan developed in the late 1950s by the United States Air Force. The aim of the project was to detonate a nuclear bomb on the Moon to boost public morale in the United States after the Soviet Union took an early lead...