Kennedy did propose cooperation with the Soviets for the Moon mission, and Kruschev was not hostile to the idea. It probably wouldn't have worked (lets not dismiss the political and technical challenges of rival powers cooperating on such a project), and each program would have gone it alone as per history. But let us suppose that a) they try and b) they succeed, within a year of the actual moon landing (so 1968-1970).
What does the joint program look like, and what are the consequences?
Historically, Apollo and Soyuz were able to be adapted to connect to each other. Perhaps this would be part of the program, with a combined Apollo-Soyuz craft doing a few test runs (the usual of a few orbital missions, then lunar orbit, before the actual landing). I imagine that, with each mission including two launches (a Saturn and a Proton, most likely), there could be some gains in overall capabilities. I have a vision of an APAS ( the docking node from the Apollo-Soyuz mission) with a side docking port, for the lander - in this version, Apollo and Soyuz would be in line with each other, and the lander would stick out perpendicular.
Or perhaps the programs work together by specializing on different angles: the Soviets focus on a space station depot, and then the Americans focus on a ship. Picture a version of Apollo where the separate modules are sent up individually, and dock at the Soviet station, where they’re fueled up and then head to the moon.
What does the joint program look like, and what are the consequences?
Historically, Apollo and Soyuz were able to be adapted to connect to each other. Perhaps this would be part of the program, with a combined Apollo-Soyuz craft doing a few test runs (the usual of a few orbital missions, then lunar orbit, before the actual landing). I imagine that, with each mission including two launches (a Saturn and a Proton, most likely), there could be some gains in overall capabilities. I have a vision of an APAS ( the docking node from the Apollo-Soyuz mission) with a side docking port, for the lander - in this version, Apollo and Soyuz would be in line with each other, and the lander would stick out perpendicular.
Or perhaps the programs work together by specializing on different angles: the Soviets focus on a space station depot, and then the Americans focus on a ship. Picture a version of Apollo where the separate modules are sent up individually, and dock at the Soviet station, where they’re fueled up and then head to the moon.
