In September 1958, the Soviet Union made the first attempt to send the automatic interplanetary station E-1 to the Moon. To solve such a problem, which was particularly difficult, the space industry had to create a lot of new products and systems. In particular, a special control and measuring complex was required, capable of monitoring the progress of the station's flight, both independently and by receiving data from it. Just the other day, a very curious document was published, revealing the main features of the ground components of the E-1 project.
On April 10, the Russian Space Systems company, part of Roscosmos, published an electronic version of the historical document. Everyone who wishes can now familiarize themselves with the Draft Project of the E-1 Object Orbit Radio Monitoring System. The document was prepared in May 1958 by Research Institute No. 885 (now the NA Pilyugin Research and Production Center for Automation and Instrumentation). The 184 original typewritten pages provide information about the goals and objectives of the project, how to achieve them, etc. Most of the document is devoted to the technical description of the ground complex and the principles of its operation.
One of the antennas deployed in Crimea
Already in the introduction, the authors of the document noted the exceptional complexity of the tasks at hand. The missile and the E-1 apparatus had to be tracked at distances that were two orders of magnitude higher than the usual distances for that time. In addition, the work of the designers could be complicated by the short time allocated for the work. However, methods have been found to track the flight of the rocket and the automatic station from the ground, as well as methods to estimate the trajectory and receive telemetry signals.
As part of ground radioelectronic facilities, a radar station, a system for receiving data from a spacecraft and a device for remote control were to be present. When forming the appearance of the new system, NII-885 specialists had to find the optimal ranges for the operation of radio equipment, determine the composition of the complex and the functions of its individual components, and also find the most profitable places for their deployment.
The calculations presented in the draft design showed the necessary characteristics of antenna devices, the construction of which was a very difficult task. It was found that the required characteristics of transmission and reception of a radio signal will be shown by terrestrial antennas with an area of at least 400 square meters or a diameter of at least 30 m. There were no existing products of this kind in our country; there was no way to quickly create them from scratch. In this regard, it was proposed to use suitable antenna sheets or create new similar products. It was planned to mount them on the existing rotary devices, previously received together with the American SCR-627 type radar and with the captured German "Big Würzburg".
Antennas of several types have been developed to monitor the operation of the E-1 facility. The solution of various problems was carried out using a truncated parabolic reflector of large dimensions and using rectangular canvases with appropriate dimensions. Mounting on movable supports made it possible to ensure maximum coverage of the space and thereby increase the overall capabilities of the complex.
Several instrument complexes were supposed to work together with the antennas. So, on several ZIL-131 vehicles with standard van bodies, it was proposed to install the radio electronic equipment of the transmitter. With the help of cables, it had to be connected to the corresponding antenna. The receiving part of the complex was planned to be deployed permanently, in a separate building near the antenna post. To obtain the desired results and make the measurements correctly, the two antennas had to be several kilometers apart.
Another antenna post
It was proposed to equip receiving antennas with an automatic tracking system for a space object. Analyzing the signal from the onboard transmitter, such equipment had to change the position of the antenna, providing the best reception with maximum power and minimum interference. Such aiming of the antennas was to be carried out automatically.
As part of the measuring complex, it was necessary to provide for several separate communication systems. Some channels were designed to transfer data from one component to another, while others were needed for people. According to calculations, only voice data transmission was associated with known difficulties and could interfere with the correct operation of the entire complex.
The structure of the ground system should have included means of signal registration. All telemetry data and radar indicators were proposed to be recorded on a magnetic medium. Also, the set of equipment included a photo attachment for capturing data displayed on the screens.
One of the chapters of the published document is devoted to the selection of a site for the deployment of new radar facilities. Calculations showed that the E-1 product will fly to the Moon for about 36 hours. In this case, the device had to rise above the horizon (relative to any point in the USSR with a latitude below 65 °) only a few times. It was found that the most convenient area for the station is the south of the European part of the country. It was decided to build the measuring point near the Crimean city of Simeiz, where at that time the radio astronomy facility of the Physics Institute of the Academy of Sciences was already functioning. His technical means could be used in a new project.
The draft design provided for the deployment of measuring point systems on Mount Koshka. Moreover, its individual components had to be located at a distance of up to 5-6 km from each other. In accordance with the proposals of the project, some of the electronic equipment should be placed in stationary buildings, while other devices could be mounted on a car chassis.
Station type E-1A
With the help of field tests with simulators of the E-1 product, the optimal characteristics of radio equipment were determined. So, for the Earth-to-board radio link, the optimal frequency was found to be 102 MHz. The device was supposed to transmit data to Earth at a frequency of 183.6 MHz. An increase in the sensitivity of ground-based receiving devices made it possible to reduce the transmitter power on board the E-1 to 100 W.
The proposed principles of operation of the "system of radio monitoring of the orbit of the object" E-1 "for their time were very progressive and bold. With the help of a number of radio engineering systems, it was necessary to determine the azimuth and elevation angle, which determine the direction to the interplanetary station. In addition, it was necessary to determine the distance between the Earth and the object, as well as the distance from the object to the Moon. Finally, it was necessary to measure the speed of movement of E-1. Telemetry signals should have come from orbit to Earth.
At the initial stage of the flight, telemetry transmission was to be carried out using the standard equipment of the 8K72 Vostok-L launch vehicle. The RTS-12-A telemetry system could keep in touch with the Earth using the rocket's third stage radio transmitter. After separation from it, the E-1 station was supposed to include its own radio equipment. For some time, before entering the coverage area of ground-based facilities, the station could remain “invisible”. However, after a few minutes, the ground measuring point took her for escort.
It was proposed to determine the range to the spacecraft and its flight speed using pulsed radiation and an onboard transponder. With a frequency of 10 Hz, the ground measuring station was supposed to send pulses to the station. Having received the signal, she had to respond to it on her own frequency. By the time it took for two signals to pass, the automatics could calculate the distance to the station. This technique provided acceptable accuracy, and, moreover, did not require unacceptably high transmitter power, as could be the case when using standard radar with a return signal.
Measurement of the distance between E-1 and the Moon was assigned to the onboard equipment. The signals of the onboard transmitter, reflected from the Earth satellite, could return to the automatic station. At distances of less than 3-4 thousand km, it could already confidently receive them and relay them to the ground complex. Further on the Earth, the necessary data was calculated.
Placement of ground facilities of the complex
To measure the flight speed, it was proposed to use the Doppler effect. When the E-1 passed along certain sections of the trajectory, the ground system and the spacecraft had to exchange relatively long radio pulses. By changing the frequency of the received signal, the measuring point could determine the flight speed of the station.
The deployment of the measuring point near the town of Simeiz allowed obtaining very high results. During the 36-hour flight, the E-1 station was supposed to fall into the visibility zone of this object three times. The first stage of control was related to the initial part of the passive section of the trajectory. At the same time, it was planned to use radio control equipment. Further, the flight was monitored at a distance of 120-200 thousand km from the Earth. For the third time, the station returned to the visibility zone when flying at a distance of 320-400 thousand km. The passage of the apparatus through the last two sections was controlled by radar and telemetry means.
“The draft design of the E-1 object's orbit radio monitoring system was approved on the last day of May 1958. Soon the development of design documentation began, after which the preparation of existing facilities for use in a new project began. It should be noted that not all available antennas in Crimea were found to be suitable for use in the Luna program. Some antenna posts had to be equipped with completely new oversized canvases. This, to some extent, complicated the project and shifted the timing of its implementation, but still made it possible to obtain the desired results.
The first launch of the 8K72 Vostok-L launch vehicle with the E-1 No. 1 spacecraft on board took place on September 23, 1958. At the 87th second of the flight, even before the completion of the first stage, the rocket collapsed. The launches on October 11 and December 4 also ended in an accident. Only on January 4, 1959, it was possible to successfully launch the E-1 No. 4 apparatus, which also received the designation "Luna-1". However, the mission of the flight was not fully completed. Due to an error in drawing up the flight program, the spacecraft passed a considerable distance from the Moon.
According to the results of the launch of the fourth device, the project was redesigned, and now the E-1A products were submitted to the start. In June 1959, one of these stations died along with a rocket. In early September, several unsuccessful attempts were made to launch the next launch vehicle with the Luna series vehicle. A number of launches were canceled over several days, and then the rocket was removed from the launch pad.
Another option for deploying radar systems
Finally, on September 12, 1959, spacecraft 7, also known as Luna-2, successfully entered its calculated trajectory. At estimated time on the evening of September 13, he fell on the moon, in the western part of the Sea of Rains. Soon, the third stage of the launch vehicle collided with the natural satellite of the Earth. For the first time in history, a product of terrestrial origin appeared on the moon. In addition, metal pennants with the emblem of the Soviet Union were delivered to the satellite's surface. Since a soft landing was not expected, the automatic interplanetary station was destroyed, and its fragments, along with metal pennants, were scattered over the terrain.
After a successful hard landing of the station on the moon, further launches of the E-1A spacecraft were canceled. Obtaining the desired results allowed the Soviet space industry to continue work and start creating more advanced research systems.
“The system of radio monitoring of the orbit of the E-1 object, built specifically for work with automatic stations, was able to work only twice as part of the first research program according to the staff schedule. She passed the vehicles E-1 No. 4 and E-1A No. 7 along the trajectory. At the same time, the first deviated from the calculated trajectory and missed the moon, and the second successfully hit the target. As far as is known, there were no complaints about the operation of ground control facilities.
The completion of work on the E-1 theme and the launch of new research projects had a certain impact on special facilities in Simeiz. In the future, they were repeatedly modernized and refined in accordance with the latest achievements of the radio-electronic industry and taking into account new requirements. The measuring point has provided for a number of studies and launches of certain spacecraft. Thus, he made a significant contribution to the exploration of outer space.
By now, the early history of the Soviet space program has been fairly well understood. Various documents, facts and memoirs have been published and known. Nevertheless, some interesting materials are still classified and from time to time become public. This time, one of the enterprises of the space industry shared data on the preliminary design of the first domestic control and measuring complex designed to work with interplanetary stations. Hopefully this will become a tradition and the industry will share new documents soon.
