Cosmodrome

Image courtesy Netflix

The name of this documentary is based on the Soviet- era space launch facility, Baikonur cosmodrome. This is the 1950's, and U.S.S.R and U.S.A are at the heights of the Cold war. This is about a technology race during the cold war, and how the race had an unusual ending. The story is a truly fascinating one.

At the height of the cold war (this is before the first man landed on the moon), Sergei Korolev Pavlovic, Russia's most senior scientist is the head of Russia's OKB-1 (experimental design bureau). His most critical assignment was to oversee development of the N1 moon rocket, to beat the U.S in the space race.

From http://www.russianspaceweb.com 

Current rocket engine technology used an open cycle, where the exhaust gases from the pre-burner were let out to the atmosphere. Korolev and company wanted to develop a closed cycle engine, where these exhaust gases would be pumped back to the combustion chamber, thereby increasing overall efficiency by up to 20%.

12 unmanned launches were planned - the manned launches would be #13 and 14. The first one exploded 40 Km after lift off. The second one , too, met with the same fate. Just 2 weeks after this, in 1969, the U.S had their first successful Apollo 11 launch. The Soviet union's next couple of launches in 1971 and 1972 also failed. The failures were studied, improvements were made and the NK 33 was being developed. But, at this critical juncture, the Government decided to cancel the entire N1 program.

In the 1990's, after the fall of the U.S.S.R, information on this project began to get out. The U.S government and some companies began to dig more on this. Eventually, connections are developed, and a team from the U.S visits the facility at Samara.

'"A forest of engines "
What do they discover? For over 20 years, 60 NK 33 engines from the moon effort were stored away in a secret location! Eventually, officials from Aerojet (the U.S corporation) work with their Soviet counterparts to test and certify these engines. After this, the technology is used in a newer Russian engine, which is used on a U.S rocket :)

My jaw dropped open at many times during this documentary. I had only read something on this topic fleetingly in an article, which was about how Elon Musk and company, in the early stages of Spacex, looked towards Russia, towards their rocket technology.

Overall a highly recommended documentary to anyone interested in space and the cold war.