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What I could imagine for the 1st design from the connecting tube to the upper capsule, that the "toroidal tank" could have been planned not as a tank, but as a ring shaped working space for the duration on the moon, only to be pressurized and accesible after landing. Similar to the upper "look out" cap extension on the nose, since there is no visible connection to the engine or alike and that circular shape seems to have a straight floor with some "stuff" (instruments, storage space?) beneath it, which wouldn't make much sense for a tank I'd presume.

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I see what you mean, but I also see 2 issues with this interpretation.

That only leaves 1 tank for fuel and oxidiser, and also the upper end goes through the descent module heat shield! The upper end in general is an issue - if it doesn't connect upward what is it for?!?!

Thanks for the idea though...

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Not sure, if I understand you correctly, but I see two circular tanks (possibly more, since this is only a 2D cut) so 1 fuel, 1 oxidizer (or are more needed?).

As for the Heatshield, yes, the tunnel goes through it. A concept which was already built and tested successfully with the Gemini B /MOL test article in 1966 by the US.

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Ah, I understand.

Pretty sure these are torus / donut shaped.

Soviets were really REALLY against extra cuts in the heat shield, particularly after the Soyuz 11 accident. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soyuz_11

Also I spotted a mistake in my earlier reply to you, which makes the first part of this somewhat obsolete! The upper end is actually at the base of the living module they would use on the Moon, NOT the descent module.

It does look similar to the upper airlock tube though. Possibly just passing in front of the lower craft at the bottom? Maybe even a soft fabric airlock, as used on Voskhod?

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Of course you are right. No heatshield, no problem. ;)

Also, yes if the tank is donut shaped, that would mean only one.

I assumed two because of the two feeder pipes coming from both circles and none (visible) for the lower torus, leading me to my previous assumption (also didn't knew, they did use donut-shaped tanks instead of spherical at the time too).

As for being imposed from outside, could be, but I'm not certain, since it ends up so snuggly into the torus and the transition seems drawn like a view changing from wall to a cut-out showing the interior of the torus.

But that's of course only speculation until more source info surfaces I presume.

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