L1 n°7L

The 7K-L1 is a Soviet lunar spacecraft, conceived in the 60s. It was intended to enable Soviet cosmonauts to fly over the Moon, as Apollo 8 did. The spacecraft is based on the architecture of Soyuz, to which it was removed the orbital module. The 7K-L1, whose development was delayed, never flew with a crew, the program having been cancelled shortly after the first lunar missions of Apollo. However, the first living beings to fly over the Moon, turtles, were transported in this vessel during the Zond-5 mission. The spacecraft has a mass ranging between 5200kg and 5700kg depending on the mission. It has a total length of 4796mm and a maximum diameter of 2720mm. The wingspan once the solar panels are deployed is 9m. The spacecraft can endure missions of a maximum duration of eight to ten days.