In anticipation of Baikonur's 70th anniversary, which will be celebrated on June 2, a unique exhibit has appeared on the cosmodrome's territory — the world's largest mock-up of the N-1 carrier rocket, created as part of the Soviet lunar program. The 22-meter-high model was manufactured by GKNPTs named after M. V. Khrunichev and became a key element of the new open-air museum.
N-1 is one of the most ambitious space developments of the USSR, designed to deliver cosmonauts to the Moon. Unlike the American Saturn V, the Soviet rocket used original technical solutions, including 30 engines in the first stage. However, all four test launches (1969–1972) ended in accidents at the initial stage of flight. The program was closed in 1976, and full-size copies of the rocket have not been preserved.
On June 2, the cosmodrome and the city of Baikonur turn 70 years old. The city is preparing for large-scale celebrations. One of the most striking events will be the opening of an open-air museum. GKNPTs named after M. V. Khrunichev (State Space Scientific and Production Center named after M. V. Khrunichev) manufactured a mock-up of the N-1 carrier rocket and presented it to the city of Baikonur as a gift for the city's 70th anniversary. On May 13, the mock-up was installed in the open-air museum. The height of the rocket is about 22 meters - this is the largest mock-up in the world
The installation of the mock-up took several days: the mock-up was delivered disassembled and mounted on a special pedestal. The open-air museum will become part of the anniversary events dedicated to the history of the cosmodrome.
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