Soyuz-A

Soyuz-A

Soyuz 7K manned spacecraft concept (1963)
Manufacturer	OKB-1
Country of origin	Soviet Union
Applications	Carry up to three cosmonauts to lunar orbit.
Specifications
Regime	Low Earth Medium Earth Circumlunar
Production
Status	Cancelled
Launched	None
Related spacecraft
Derivatives	Soyuz 7K-OK (first Soyuz generation to fly manned)

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.