Sergei Korolev initially promoted the Soyuz A-B-V circumlunar complex ( 7K-9K-11K ) concept (also known as L1 ) in which a two-man craft Soyuz 7K would rendezvous with other components (9K and 11K) in Earth orbit to assemble a lunar excursion vehicle, the components being delivered by the proven R-7 rocket.
5-528: Besides the Soyuz 7K spacecraft, the complex would feature a Soyuz 9K booster and a Soyuz 11K tanker with twin whip antennas. The 7K would have been equipped with cameras and sensors to study the lunar surface during the flyby, at a distance of 1,000 to 20,000 km from the Moon's surface. Total flight time would have been 7 to 8 days. Soyuz A is the base concept for the entire Soyuz spacecraft family. The 7K series
10-410: Is a direct descendant of this original proposal. The list below shows proposed, flown (in bold) and military (in italic) Soyuz versions. Soyuz-B Soyuz-B ( Russian : Союз-Б meaning Union-B) or Soyuz 9K ( Russian : Союз 9К ) was a proposed Soviet spacecraft, which was designed for use as an orbital tug . A number of applications were proposed for it, including use as part of
15-509: The Soyuz A-B-V complex for crewed circumlunar spaceflight . The Soyuz 9K was intended to have been launched into low Earth orbit by the Soyuz 11A511 carrier rocket . Following launch, it would have been refuelled by up to three Soyuz-V tankers, before commencing its mission. It was primarily intended for use in boosting crewed Soyuz 7K and Soyuz-P spacecraft into higher orbits;
20-580: The Soyuz-A onto a circumlunar trajectory for human Lunar exploration, and the Soyuz-P into a higher orbit to intercept and destroy another spacecraft. The Soyuz 9K consisted of two modules: the main spacecraft, and a docking module, NO ( Russian : НО ). The NO module housed rendezvous and docking systems for the Soyuz-V, as well as equipment for transferring fuel, and additional manoeuvring thrusters. Once
25-551: The payload spacecraft had docked, the NO would be jettisoned, and the main engine would ignite to propel the Soyuz 9K and its docked payload into a higher orbit. Following the cancellation of both the Soyuz 7K and P programmes; the former in favour of the LK-1 spacecraft, and the latter in favour of uncrewed anti-satellite programmes, the Soyuz 9K was no longer required, and it too was cancelled. This article about one or more spacecraft of
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