| astronautix.com | LESA Shelter |
![]() |
| LESA Lander - Credit: NASA. 13,061 bytes. 392 x 487 pixels. |
LESA (Lunar Exploration System for Apollo) was an advanced lunar surface shelter. It would provide the maximum Saturn V-launched lunar base module by using a high efficiency LLV Lunar Landing Vehicle which used RL10 Lox/LH2 engines for the direct landing on the lunar surface. The LESA consisted of a circular inner cabin and annular outer cabin with control stations, bunks, and an airlock. The LLV would deliver the LESA together with a Molab lunar rover on the surface of the moon. Crews to man the base would be landed in 3-man LM Taxis. The crews would use the LESA Shelter for quarters, and the pressurised Molab for mobility. Initially the shelter would be manned by 3 crew members for 90 days. Follow-on flights would build up the base to six residents for indefinite lunar operations.
Craft.Crew Size: 6. Design Life: 90 days. Total Length: 4.3 m. Maximum Diameter: 6.7 m. Total Habitable Volume: 80.00 m3. Total Mass: 9,700 kg.
![]() | Lesa 160 pixels Credit: © Mark Wade. 1,128 bytes. 158 x 120 pixels. |
![]() | LESA Lunar Base Credit: © Mark Wade. 6,501 bytes. 543 x 270 pixels. |
![]() | Lunar Exploration - Lunar Exploration Plans Credit: © Mark Wade. 15,347 bytes. 635 x 472 pixels. |
![]() | Post-Apollo lunar - Comparison of American post-Apollo lunar spacecraft. Credit: © Mark Wade. 12,347 bytes. 557 x 467 pixels. |