RAS Academician Mikhail Marov explained the loss of the USSR in the lunar race with the United States in the 1960s. He spoke about this during the teleconference “History of the study of distant planets and the lunar race”, reports RIA Novosti.
According to Marov, one of the reasons was technical disagreements between the chief designer of rocket and space technology, Sergei Korolev, and the chief designer of engines, Valentin Petrovich Glushko, about which engines should be installed on the H-1 heavy launch vehicle. As a result, Korolev chose a bunch of more than 30 engines. However, it was not as effective as the Glushko variant.
“In essence, the lack of agreements between these former friends, but who became antagonists on a technical basis, we practically owe the fact that we did not win the result of rivalry with the Americans in the moon race,” he concluded.
In addition, the untimely death of the Queen in January 1966 influenced the course of the lunar race. Another reason for the defeat of the USSR, Marov named ineffective management and lack of approach from the authorities. “The result of this was the dispersion of funds, an overly loyal policy,” the academician added.
The space race continued between the USSR and the United States from 1957 to 1988. The events of the race include launches of artificial satellites, flights of animals and humans into space, and landing on the moon.
