Soviet Moonbase construction begins in 1977

Inspired by the Apollo Program Continues thread - though at this late date, its more likely to be a replacement for Apollo, rather than Apollo itself. The PoD is probably some years earlier.

On October 2, 1977, a Soyuz with a large forward module attached is launched toward the Moon (this replaces the OTL Salyut 6 and Soyuz 25 launches). On October 7, the module, about the size of a small school bus, is landed on the Moon by remote control. The Soviet press announces this as the first component of the 'Glorious Soviet Moonbase Tsiolkowskii'. A few days later, Soyuz 25 returns safely to the Earth. They also have some rhetoric about 'superior Communist engineering', 'the will of the Soviet People', 'the Tortise and the Hare', et cetra.

The module rather resembles a large fuel tank, suitable for hauling by lorry (semi-truck), sitting on top what looks like a stretched, eight-legged version of the Apollo LM Descent Stage.

So, how does the US, and the world, react to this latest strike in the Cold War?
 
We attack their earthly holdings.

The Soviets are invading the Moon, which America claimed in 1969. So we get them back by attacking Moscow or something like that.

This whole premise is ASB though.
 
They certainly couldn't do it in '77, but it's political repercussions you're after?

Incidentally, the USSR claimed the moon first. 1966, baby. Robots are people too.
 

Archibald

Banned
And that's precisely the problem.

Cold War = symmetrical answer, including space.

So I think we will need the Apollo program to continue...

Another serious problem is a change of leadership in the soviet space program in 1974. Mishin - builder of the N1 is ousted by its worst ennemy, Glushko.

Glushko hate the N1 rocket, and starts its own rocket - more or less Energia. He need 10 years to fly it. So you can't really have a soviet lunar base in 1977 unless you butterfly Glushko away.
A pity, cause after four failures in a row, the fifth N1 might have worked had it been launched in 1974.

Here's some possible scenarios for a soviet lunar base

- No Vietnam war in 1963; Diem survive, and hold on South Vietnam long enough to avoid US intervention. Vietnam don't suck all money, and Apollo continue after 1969 and Kennedy's goal fulfilled.

- The non- Apollo fire. Apollo-1 happened at the worst moment, January 1967, when Congress threatened to cut funds.
Butterfly Apollo 1 away, and Apollo does not suffers from the twenty months delay. Apollo flights resume late 1967, when Johnson is still in power; Nixon cut less when he came to power later.

A Mercury or Gemini lethal accident around 1963-65 might avoid Apollo 1 later.

- Two POD in 1969: Brejnev is assassinated, Kosyguin size power. While a manned L1 "Zond" circle the moon late 1969 despite Apollo 11 landing (better than nothing)

- Glushko die in 1966 instead of Korolev. So the N1 program prevails, despite the soviets still lose the Moon race to the USAs. At least the N1 works better, maybe even suceed in its second flight atempt... July 1969.
Korolew keep working on the N1, NASA and CIA get scary, and continue Apollo.
 
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