So, is N1 launchers were too bad by the nation to reach lunar surface, which made several records with Luna series spacecrafts earlier. Eventually, we can say this was due to the poor quality of work & completely wrong first stage engine design. The first stage of N1 was powered by 30 NK-33 engines. The main reason behind this assembly was that, even the failure of four engines, the launcher would have sufficient enough thrust from the remaining engines, that could lift off from the pad. an automatic engine cut off system KORD was developed for maintening the thrust of the launcher. KORD was designed to cut off the mirror engine of the effected engine to maintain a balance thrust. However, due to the poor quality of work, budget cuts N1 could not even the first stage of the planned lunar landing with LOK lander. However, if it would have made it to Moon, Soviets would have made it to other planetary landings in near future.
1st launch: February 21, 1969
First launch of N1 took place around 6 months earlier than Apollo 11 which actually placed human by US. It was actually scheduled in May, 1968 but due to structural failure, it was rescheduled. First stage burn for merely 68 seconds and then it exploded. Further it came to know the failure was due to the tiny bits of metal debris which affects turbine blades of one engine. A severe oscillation results which caused the fuel to leak and KORD gave the wrong signal to shut down all the engines.
2nd launch: July 3, 1969
With the failure of first N1, Soviets almost lost the moon race. The all hope were on second N1 launch. This was launched few weeks before Apollo 11 and eventually turned out as the worst failure of all time. This time N1 could only cleared the launch tower but eventually fell down creating one of the biggest man made explosions in the history. the explosion even damaged the N1 launch pad and took next 18 months to rebuilt it.
3rd launch: June 27,1971
As Soviets lost the Moon race, Soviets dreamt of a successful Manned lunar landing. They rebuilt the launch pad & corrected some of the N1 failure causing modules. However, third launch of N1 was again a failure. First stage burned for almost 50 seconds.
4th launch: November 23, 1972
This was the final & probably the best launch of N1 among all the four launches. First stage burned for 108 seconds before severe longitudinal POGO oscillation took place which finally exploded the rocket. With the four consecutive failures, Soviets moon landings became a dream only. The remaining 8 launches could have improved the launcher capability & could have reached Moon, but with the low budget, Soviet cancelled the whole program later.