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.
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.
Relation with other Soyuz versions
Soyuz A is the base concept for the entire Soyuz spacecraft family. The 7K series is a direct descendant of this original proposal. The list below shows proposed, flown (in bold) and military (in italic) Soyuz versions.
Soyuz-A (1963) Soyuz P (1962) Soyuz PPK (1964) Soyuz R (1962) Soyuz 7K-TK (1966) Soyuz 7K-VI Zvezda (1964) Soyuz OIS (1967) Soyuz OB-VI (1967) Soyuz 7K-S (1974) Soyuz 7K-ST (1974) Soyuz T (1976–86) Soyuz TM (1986–02) Soyuz TMA (2002–12) Soyuz TMA-M (2010–16) Soyuz MS (2016-...) Progress M (1989–09) Progress M1 (2000–14) Progress MS (2015) Soyuz 7K-LOK (1967) Soyuz 7K-L1 (1967–70) Soyuz 7K-L1E (1970–71) Soyuz 7K-OK (1967–71) Soyuz 7K-OKS (1971) Soyuz 7K-T (1973–81) Progress 7K-TG (1978–90) Soyuz 7K-TM (1975)
See also Soyuz 9K Soyuz 11K Soyuz programme Soyuz (spacecraft) Progress (spacecraft)
References