The N1 was the Soviet rocket designed for its crewed Moon program but never reached orbit.
The enormous N1 was intended to launch the Soviet L3 lunar expedition complex. Its first stage used 30 engines, a configuration chosen because the Soviet Union lacked a single engine with enough thrust for the required mission. The vehicle was assembled at the Baikonur Cosmodrome and stood roughly 105 metres tall.
Four N1 test launches took place between 1969 and 1972, and all failed before completing a successful orbital mission. The first launch suffered a catastrophic explosion shortly after liftoff in February 1969. Problems included engine control, vibration, plumbing, and the complexity of coordinating many engines.
The Apollo program reached the Moon before the N1 could be perfected, and the Soviet crewed lunar program was cancelled. The N1 should not be confused with Energia, a later Soviet heavy-lift rocket that successfully flew in the 1980s.