how come the Russians never went to the moon?

[capricorn]

There are several reasons, firstly the journey to the Moon required a much more powerful rocket and much more sophisticated spacecraft than those used before; but the Russian two chief rocket scientists (Glushko and Korolev, who created the first intercontinental ballistic missiles) split up because of different views on what fuel should be used, how should the rocket engine be designed etc. (Actually, Glushko thought that the engine design by von Braun, used in the Saturn V rocket that eventually carried man to the Moon, is impossible and would never work in practice). Besides that, a terrible accident happened during the 60ies on one of Soviet launch pads, killing many engineers and other experts in the field of rocket design. In addition, Korolev, as the main rocket engineer, died in 1966 which further set back the Soviet program.

Nevertheless, a short time before the successful American mission to the Moon, Soviets had had the N-1 rocket (Soviet equivalent of Saturn V) ready for test launch. The astronauts then volunteered to risk their lives and fly using that rocket in an attempt to reach the Moon (I think they were just planning to fly beside it and get back to Earth, not to actually land on the surface). Luckily, they were refused and the rocket was tested with no crew on board. It exploded shortly after launch.

After that, since Americans succeeded in going to the Moon, Soviets abandoned their plans, since it would cost a huge amount of money, but would serve them no useful purpose.

 

[Red Spyder]

Because it's OURS we put our flag on it, we claimed it

 

[BlueBalls]

Because the moon does not exist. It was just another piece of American propaganda during the Cold War.

WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!! :rofl:

 

[rwill25]

Sloppy seconds!?

 

[STDiva]

Because the moon does not exist. It was just another piece of American propaganda during the Cold War.

WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!! :rofl:

:thumbsup:

 

[Gordar]

Besides, they did go to the moon, but by then it wasn't very impressive anymore.

I should rephrase this...

They did send missiles to the moon, but by then it wasn't very impressive anymore.


(these missions were unmanned)

 

[mrtrebus]

They were too busy building space stations

 

[Red Spyder]

Maybe they were afraid their cosmonauts would decide to stay there instead of going back home and stand in line for shoes.

 

[Jane Burgess]

Haha this thread is funny.

 

[fewmany]

 

[Friday on my mind]

or anyone else but the few times we went? and how come we dont go back?

As others have said it was a race and once we did it ,it made no real sense for the russians to keep spending on it and be 2nd.

On returning Nasa does plan to return and then hopefully to mars.

http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/home/index.html

The space program has been some of the best money we have ever spent IMO as we have learned a lot working out the technical aspects of the exploration and a lot by the exploration itself.

 

[mrtrebus]

 

[Mr. Daystar]

Because they were spending their money building a shitload of obsolete military equipment, to flood and arm the hostile third world countries we are now at war with.

 

[hedonis]

They don't like cheese? :dunno:

 

[BlueBalls]

Because they were spending their money building a shitload of obsolete military equipment, to flood and arm the hostile third world countries we are now at war with.

So Russia armed Afghanistan, was this before or after they were at war with one another? And Iraq too? Wow, those pesky Russians. Here I was thinking it was the US arming these places. ::face palm::

I thought - an this is sooo silly :1orglaugh - that during the Soviet/Afghan war it was the US funding/training the Afghans. And that during that Iraq/Iran war the US sold as much arms as it could to the Iraqi's because they were allies then werent they against the common enemy Iran?

Just shows what I know :dunno:

 

[Gordar]

Because they were spending their money building a shitload of obsolete military equipment, to flood and arm the hostile third world countries we are now at war with.

The US is currently at war with Vietnam & North Korea?!? (two countries, besides some rebels in Africa, the Russians gave weapons to...)

 

[feller469]

I think we arm these countries with our out of date equipment so that 1) we can get rid of it and make some money of it and 2) know what they have so when we do fight them, we know what they have and are up against

 

[arianajoladdict]

no one has gone to the moon

 

[Mr. Daystar]

So Russia armed Afghanistan, was this before or after they were at war with one another? And Iraq too? Wow, those pesky Russians. Here I was thinking it was the US arming these places. ::face palm::

I thought - an this is sooo silly :1orglaugh - that during the Soviet/Afghan war it was the US funding/training the Afghans. And that during that Iraq/Iran war the US sold as much arms as it could to the Iraqi's because they were allies then werent they against the common enemy Iran?

Just shows what I know :dunno:

The US is currently at war with Vietnam & North Korea?!? (two countries, besides some rebels in Africa, the Russians gave weapons to...)

Get a grip guys, it was a joke/sarcasm/irony, what ever you wanna call it. Although, after we bankrupted them, they did start selling off shitloads of military equipment, my point was, they spent money amassing a huge quantity of military equipment, as opposed to spending on things like space exploration. While we did in fact arm many countries, you would have a hard time convincing me that those African war lords got their AK47's from America, or Sadam got his Mig fighters from America. We weren't the only world power to flood the world, and we weren't the only country to have allies torn to enemies. The difference is, when we did it, we wanted them to fight our battles, and sold to who we thought, as misguided as it was, governments that would do right by us, and serve a purpose down the road. When they did it, they could give a fuck less who got what, and who they would use it on...they just wanted the cash.

 

[Friday on my mind]

Get a grip guys, it was a joke/sarcasm/irony, what ever you wanna call it. Although, after we bankrupted them, they did start selling off shitloads of military equipment, my point was, they spent money amassing a huge quantity of military equipment, as opposed to spending on things like space exploration. While we did in fact arm many countries, you would have a hard time convincing me that those African war lords got their AK47's from America, or Sadam got his Mig fighters from America. We weren't the only world power to flood the world, and we weren't the only country to have allies torn to enemies. The difference is, when we did it, we wanted them to fight our battles, and sold to who we thought, as misguided as it was, governments that would do right by us, and serve a purpose down the road. When they did it, they could give a fuck less who got what, and who they would use it on...they just wanted the cash.

But the US is and has been for many years the largest arms dealer in the world.