Why Didn’t the Soviet Union, Once Ahead of the United States in Space Technology, Succeed in Manned Moon Landings?

Inside the Soviet Manned Moon Landing Program

During the 1960s, the Soviet Union and the United States were engaged in a fierce competition in space. In terms of aerospace technology, the Soviet Union was once far ahead, achieving numerous significant accomplishments: from the first artificial satellite, Sputnik-1, in 1957, to the unmanned “Luna 5” probe in 1965, and the lunar rover Lunokhod 1 in 1970.

Regrettably, the Soviet Union had not managed to send astronauts to the moon by the time it dissolved. On July 21, 1969, American astronaut Neil Armstrong, aboard Apollo 11, successfully landed on the moon and became known as “the first man on the moon.” Armstrong’s footprint on the lunar surface also marked the Americans as the ultimate victors of this moon race.

It is puzzling that, during that period, the Soviet Union was on par with the United States in terms of aerospace capabilities. Why did the Soviets never accomplish a manned moon landing? In fact, the moon race between the Soviet Union and the United States was not only a…