Soviet Manned Lunar Landing happens a month after Apollo 11?

[e of pi]

that thing doesnt look big enough to hold people

It is, the solutions look a little strange since it was intended more as an uncrewed probe, but they'd work:

The crew would land using the LK lander, which was a larger lander launched on the N-1 rocket:

LK was built and tested, at least in Earth orbit, mostly held back by issues with the N-1 rocket.

 

[Polish Eagle]

It is, the solutions look a little strange since it was intended more as an uncrewed probe, but they'd work:

Huh. Pretty nifty--almost like a segway.

 

[tarrant77]

Would having the Soviets discover water ice on their first mission to the moon provide enough impetus to starting the space race back up?

 

[Athelstane]

It is, the solutions look a little strange since it was intended more as an uncrewed probe, but they'd work:

The crew would land using the LK lander, which was a larger lander launched on the N-1 rocket:

LK was built and tested, at least in Earth orbit, mostly held back by issues with the N-1 rocket.

The LK may not have been as large or capable as the Apollo LM, but it seems to have been a robust design, and did all right in testing. The launcher, as you say, was what hobbled them.

Of course, with a rover like that, only one cosmonaut, and more limited life support, it wasn't going to amount to a very ambitious sortie, certainly nothing like a J class Apollo mission. But for propaganda purposes, it would have sufficed, so long as the cameras were working.

 

[e of pi]

Of course, with a rover like that, only one cosmonaut, and more limited life support, it wasn't going to amount to a very ambitious sortie, certainly nothing like a J class Apollo mission. But for propaganda purposes, it would have sufficed, so long as the cameras were working.

Indeed, though any ongoing comparison becomes a struggle, hence the thought of a lunar ASTP.

The idea of Apollo lunar rovers being designed with solar for more independent operation after a crew's departure is sort of interesting to muse on...

 

[Athelstane]

The idea of Apollo lunar rovers being designed with solar for more independent operation after a crew's departure is sort of interesting to muse on...

I know Boeing looked at that; and I can understand their decision not to, for a rover only needed for three days anyway...

But in an Apollo that gets a little extended (especially with 2 week sorties using LEM shelters, which would require a revision of the power system anyway), the idea really is intriguing, and you have to think it would get another look. Even if they were not thinking immdiately of post-crew departure use, it would be hard to ignore that advantage, wouldn't it?