N1-L3 Soviet Moon Rocket Concept Printable Model 3D print model

cgtrader

During the final phase of the space race, the N1-L3 emerged as a last-ditch attempt by the Soviet space program to create a rocket capable of transporting humans to the moon. Despite its notable differences from the American Apollo and Saturn V programs, it is often compared as the closest competitor and, to some degree, this comparison holds true. The history behind the N1-L3 differs vastly from that of the Apollo program, which was designed from inception to land humans on the moon, while the N1-L3 evolved as a modified version of the original N1 program, conceived for interplanetary flybys without lunar landing. The N1 exhibited inferior efficiency and performance compared to the Apollo program (it proposed carrying three astronauts in orbit around the moon, whereas the Apollo could transport three humans into space), with its initial design featuring 30 main engines for the first stage instead of fewer larger engines. Multiple test flights were conducted but all ended in failure; though the cause was largely attributed to operational/technical shortcomings at the time rather than the concept's validity. One distinctive characteristic of the N1 is its use of gridfins as stabilizers/fins on the base of the first stage, facilitating ascent control, along with spherical tanks and conical fairings used in massive scale. It also showcased an open-grid interstage reminiscent of Russia's space program, a design which never proved effective but continues to captivate rocket science enthusiasts. The model I created, for instance, is full-scale, with thickened engine nozzles made printable via 3D printing when downsized for this purpose; it includes STL files for both the entire rocket and individual stages up through stage 3. For a more detailed overview of this unique rocket's characteristics and design decisions see here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N1_(rocket)