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| LEK Lunar Lander - Lunar lander of the Lunar Expeditionary Complex (LEK). 11,842 bytes. 286 x 232 pixels. |
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Other Designations: Lunniy ekspeditionniy korabl'. Manufacturer's Designation: Vulkan-launched version. Class: Manned. Type: Lunar Lander. Nation: Russia. Manufacturer: Korolev. LEK = Lunniy ekspeditionniy korabl', lunar expedition spacecraft. As in the original LK lunar lander, this would be taken to near zero velocity near the lunar surface by the Vulkan Block V 'lunar crasher' rocket stage. It would then descend to the lunar surface using a landing stage nearly identical to the American lunar module descent stage. This landing stage however would primarily provide propulsion of the upper Ascent/earth recovery stage to a trans-earth trajectory. The Ascent/earth recovery stage consisted of a re-entry capsule in the shape of but larger than the Soyuz descent module, encapsulated in a larger pressurised volume providing crew quarters and equipment storage.
SpecificationCraft.Crew Size: 3. Design Life: 365 days. Orbital Storage: 365.00 days. Total Length: 9.7 m. Maximum Diameter: 5.5 m. Total Mass: 31,000 kg. Electrical System: Solar panels.
- Module: Ascent Stage. Purpose: Carry crew and Soyuz descent module from lunar surface to trans-earth trajectory. Provide crew quarters and midcourse corrections during return journey from lunar surface to earth. Modules.Crew Size: 3. Length: 5.8 m. Basic Diameter: 3.1 m. Max Diameter: 5.4 m. Overall Mass: 18,600 kg. Maneuver System Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. Remarks: Ascent stage carries crew of three from lunar surface to trans-earth trajectory. Contained within the pressurized cabin is a Soyuz descent module for reentry by the crew into the earth's atmosphere.
 | LK with LEK mockup - LK with LEK mockup at Energia Credit: NASM. 56,798 bytes. 399 x 439 pixels. |
- Module: Descent Module. Purpose: Reentry capsule for crew and lunar samples. Modules.Crew Size: 3. Length: 2.2 m. Basic Diameter: 2.2 m. Max Diameter: 2.2 m. Habitable Volume: 4.00 m3. Overall Mass: 3,400 kg. RCS Coarse Backup No x Thrust: 6 X 10kgf. RCS Propellants: H2O2. Remarks: Descent module was contained within pressurized cabin of LEK ascent stage. Crew may have entered hatch in heat shield.
 | LEK Lunar Lander - LEK LK moon lander Vulkan-launched Credit: © Mark Wade. 1,436 bytes. 159 x 129 pixels. |
- Module: Landing Stage. Purpose: Carry LEK ascent stage from lunar orbit to lunar surface; act as launching platform for LEK ascent stage. Length: 3.9 m. Basic Diameter: 5.5 m. Max Diameter: 11.3 m. Overall Mass: 38,000 kg. Propellants: 29000 Maneuver System Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. Remarks: Descent stage very similar in appearance to that of Apollo LM, with same function - descent from lunar orbit to landing of crewed module on surface of moon.
 | LEK Model - Model of LEK in Energiya museum - unusual reentry capsule or subsidiary module at its top. Credit: Andy Salmon. 13,184 bytes. 196 x 281 pixels. |
Bibliography:- 89 - Semenov, Yu. P., S P Korolev Space Corporation Energia, RKK Energia, 1994.
 | Vulkan LEK - Vulkan launched Lunar Expeditionary Complex compared with N1-L3 Credit: © Mark Wade. 7,596 bytes. 736 x 266 pixels. |
 | LEK - Vulkan - LEK - Vulkan-launched version Credit: © Mark Wade. 5,013 bytes. 621 x 156 pixels. |
 | LEK LK moon lander - LEK LK moon lander Vulkan-launched Credit: © Mark Wade. 8,765 bytes. 567 x 459 pixels. |
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Last update 12 March 2001.
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© Mark Wade, 2001 .
