Maj Gen Avn Leonov on Soviet Lunar Program Details

This document is a transcript of an interview with Major General of Aviation Aleksey Arkhipovich Leonov, a Soviet Pilot-Cosmonaut, conducted by I. Kuznetsov for the journal 'Aviatsiya i kosmonavtika' in August 1990. The discussion focuses on the history and eventual cancellation of the Soviet manned lunar program. Leonov details the two-stage approach of the program, which involved a lunar flyby and a subsequent manned landing, directed by Vasiliy Pavlovich Mishin. He discusses the technical challenges faced, including the development of the N-1 booster and the L-1 and L-3 craft, noting that the program was ultimately abandoned after the Americans successfully landed on the Moon in 1968 and following failures in Soviet test flights. Leonov reflects on the economic and political environment of the Soviet space program, criticizing the lack of efficient economic mechanisms for utilizing space research for terrestrial benefits. He also addresses questions regarding extraterrestrial life, specifically refuting claims that astronauts encountered aliens on the Moon. He explains that such stories are merely fantasies derived from misinterpreting radio communications between astronauts and the Houston Flight Control Center. The interview concludes with Leonov's assessment of the future of the Soviet space program, suggesting that a manned lunar mission was not anticipated before the year 2000.