Sergei Korolev, the lead Soviet rocket engineer and spacecraft designer during the 1950s and 1960s, planned to adopt the same lunar orbit rendezvous concept as seen in the Apollo programme.

An earlier uncrewed probe of the Luna programme, a Lunokhod would be used to select a suitable area, and then act as a beacon for the LK.

Although the specifics on planned activity while on the lunar surface remain vague, the small size and limited payload capacity of the N-1/Soyuz LOK/LK compared to the Saturn/Apollo meant that not much in the way of scientific experiments could have been performed.

Most likely, the cosmonaut would plant the Soviet flag on the Moon, collect soil samples, take photographs, and deploy a few small scientific packages.

[citation needed] After a day on the lunar surface the LK's engine would fire again, using its landing leg structure as a launch pad.

Due to weight restrictions, the docking interface was designed to be as simple as possible, with a strictly mechanical interlock and no electrical or fluid connections.

Subsequently, the complete L3 lunar expedition complex with regular LK and Soyuz 7K-LOK module-spacecraft for Moon flyby and landing by full uncrewed mission of future crewed scenario was prepared for fifth launch of modified N1 rocket in August 1974.

The N1-L3 program was cancelled in May 1974 and the Soviets decided to concentrate on the development of space stations, achieving several firsts in the process.

According to the agreement, Ukrainians will transfer China the newly produced set of design documentation for the propulsion module, but the hardware itself will remain in Ukraine.