Because the payload capacity of the N1 rocket was only 95 tons to LEO, versus the Saturn V's 140 tons to LEO, the LK was created to be less bulky than the Apollo Lunar Module (LM):
It had a different landing profile
It was lighter at only one-third the mass of the LM
Initially the LK was to have carried a single cosmonaut.
A later variant would have a two-man crew; the LM carried two
It had no docking tunnel like the LM's; the cosmonaut would space walk from the LOK (Soyuz 7K-L3) to the LK and back.

To leave lunar orbit and begin descent, the LK used the same braking stage, the Blok D, which put the LK-Soyuz stack into lunar orbit; the LM used its landing stage engine (later Apollo missions also used the SPS engine to help deorbit the LM).

The final deceleration, from a velocity of 100 m/s at an altitude of 4 km above the lunar surface, was done with a Blok E stage, capable of multiple restarts.
This allowed the Blok E to also serve as the ascent stage to return the LK to lunar orbit; the LM's landing stage had a dedicated engine for landing.

For better performance, LK Blok E engines used turbopumps to provide them with fuel components.
Solid charges were used for quick activation of the pumps that limited the number of ignitions.

After landing the LK landing gear structure was designed to serve as a mini-launch complex for the upper stage's lift-off; the Apollo LM used its descent stage in the same fashion.

The LK Blok E had both primary and reserve engines allowing for reassurance of ascent; the Apollo LM lifted off with a single ascent engine, and had no backup or reserve but was designed for simplicity and reliability allowing for optimal assurance of ascent.
A failure of the LM ascent engine would guarantee a critical mission failure.
Because the payload capacity of the N1 rocket was only 95 tons to LEO, versus the Saturn V's 140 tons to LEO, the LK was created to be less bulky than the Apollo Lunar Module (LM):
It had a different landing profile
It was lighter at only one-third the mass of the LM
Initially the LK was to have carried a single cosmonaut. A later variant would have a two-man crew; the LM carried two
It had no docking tunnel like the LM's; the cosmonaut would space walk from the LOK (Soyuz 7K-L3) to the LK and back.
To leave lunar orbit and begin descent, the LK used the same braking stage, the Blok D, which put the LK-Soyuz stack into lunar orbit; the LM used its landing stage engine (later Apollo missions also used the SPS engine to help deorbit the LM).
The final deceleration, from a velocity of 100 m/s at an altitude of 4 km above the lunar surface, was done with a Blok E stage, capable of multiple restarts. This allowed the Blok E to also serve as the ascent stage to return the LK to lunar orbit; the LM's landing stage had a dedicated engine for landing.
For better performance, LK Blok E engines used turbopumps to provide them with fuel components. Solid charges were used for quick activation of the pumps that limited the number of ignitions.
After landing the LK landing gear structure was designed to serve as a mini-launch complex for the upper stage's lift-off; the Apollo LM used its descent stage in the same fashion.
The LK Blok E had both primary and reserve engines allowing for reassurance of ascent; the Apollo LM lifted off with a single ascent engine, and had no backup or reserve but was designed for simplicity and reliability allowing for optimal assurance of ascent. A failure of the LM ascent engine would guarantee a critical mission failure.
LK (spacecraft)