How many N-1s could there have been?

I know there were four N-1 launches of varying degrees of coming
near almost successful, and recall from various discussions that plans
on how to modify and launch a fifth test vehicle were under way when the
project was finally cancelled.

What I'm curious about is, there must be long-lead items, the
things that have to be built early in order to ever get a rocket out at
some later date. What was the longest-lead item, and how many of them
did get reasonably started (admitting that that's a vague threshhold)
before the program ended?

--
Joseph Nebus
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Joseph Nebus wrote:
I know there were four N-1 launches of varying degrees of coming
near almost successful, and recall from various discussions that plans
on how to modify and launch a fifth test vehicle were under way when the
project was finally cancelled.

What I'm curious about is, there must be long-lead items, the
things that have to be built early in order to ever get a rocket out at
some later date. What was the longest-lead item, and how many of them
did get reasonably started (admitting that that's a vague threshhold)
before the program ended?


I would think it would be the engines, especially if you count
development time into the equation.
The Russians still have a lot of N-1 engines in storage from the
program. Kistler Aerospace was going to use the surplus N-1 engines on
their K-1 rocket: http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/kislerk1.htm
Leftover N-1 parts ended up being used for a lot of odd buildings around
Baikonur, including outdoor showers and gazebos:
http://www.astronautix.com/graphics/n/n1dome2.jpg
http://www.astronautix.com/graphics/n/n1dome4.jpg
http://www.astronautix.com/graphics/n/n1dome5.jpg

Pat

"Pat Flannery" wrote in message
...


Joseph Nebus wrote:
I know there were four N-1 launches of varying degrees of coming near
almost successful, and recall from various discussions that plans on how
to modify and launch a fifth test vehicle were under way when the project
was finally cancelled.
What I'm curious about is, there must be long-lead items, the things that
have to be built early in order to ever get a rocket out at some later
date. What was the longest-lead item, and how many of them did get
reasonably started (admitting that that's a vague threshhold) before the
program ended?

I would think it would be the engines, especially if you count development
time into the equation.
The Russians still have a lot of N-1 engines in storage from the program.
Kistler Aerospace was going to use the surplus N-1 engines on their K-1
rocket: http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/kislerk1.htm
Leftover N-1 parts ended up being used for a lot of odd buildings around
Baikonur, including outdoor showers and gazebos:
http://www.astronautix.com/graphics/n/n1dome2.jpg
http://www.astronautix.com/graphics/n/n1dome4.jpg
http://www.astronautix.com/graphics/n/n1dome5.jpg

Pat

Kistler Aerospace received 46 Russian NK-33 and NK-43 engines from Aerojet.
Obtained a Right of First Refusal for all remaining Russian NK-33 and NK-43
engines.

gb wrote:

Kistler Aerospace received 46 Russian NK-33 and NK-43 engines from Aerojet.
Obtained a Right of First Refusal for all remaining Russian NK-33 and NK-43
engines.


Kistler just got dumped by NASA BTW:
http://www.space.com/news/070910_nas...ne_notice.html

Pat