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Soviet Moon Race
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The LK was the Soviet functional equivalent of the American Lunar Module, but with certain notable differences: the LK would have carried only a single Cosmonaut to the lunar surface and he would have had to "space walk" from the LOK (Lunar Orbiting Ship, approximately equivalent to the US Command Module) to the LK; the LK would have used the same engine for both final descent to the lunar surface and ascent back to orbit.
The task of designing and building the LK went to the Yangel design bureau in the Ukraine . Numerous engineering difficulties arose: the low payload weight available allowed for almost no reserve fuel, thus making landing potentially more difficult. This in turn led to numerous studies of various landing and cosmonaut egress configurations. There were problems with the landing radar but in the end, all these issues were apparently solved and several LK ships were built to various stages of completion.
Mouse over to view Soviet and USA Lunar Landers.
Lunar Lander Specifications
Type : Lunar lander. OKB-1.
Crew Size : 1.
Design Life : 3 days.
Orbital Storage : 30.00 days.
Total Length : 5.5 m.
Maximum Diameter : 4.5 m.
Total Habitable Volume : 5.00 m3.
Total Mass : 5,560 kg.
Total Propellants : 2,400 kg.
Total RCS Impulse : 25,000.00 kgf-sec .
Primary Engine Thrust : 2,050 kgf.
Main Engine Propellants : N2O4/UDMH.
Main Engine Isp : 315 sec .
Total spacecraft delta v : 2,300 m/s.
Electrical System : Batteries.
(C)2004.