N1

OKB-1 (Soviet Union)

The Soviet Moon rocket — never flew successfully despite immense thrust.

The N1 was the Soviet Union's super heavy-lift rocket developed in secret to send cosmonauts to the Moon. With 30 NK-15 engines on its first stage, it had more total liftoff thrust than any rocket until Starship. All four launches failed, and the program was cancelled in 1976.

Fun facts

N1 had 30 NK-15 engines in its first stage — yet not a single flight succeeded.

The fourth N1 launch in 1972 caused the largest non-nuclear explosion in history, leaving a crater at the launch site.

The N1 programme was so secret that the USSR denied its existence for years, even after four catastrophic failures.

Height

105.3 m

Diameter

17 m

Mass

2,750 t

Stages

Thrust