At a Lunar Soviet meeting in October 1967 preliminary agreement was reached to study a follow-on to the first N1-L3 lunar landings. A new N1 model was to be developed to launch a new 'L5' spacecraft. This was mentioned as being able to handle 4 to 5 crew, 1.5 to 2.0 metric tons of scientific equipment, and spend three months on the lunar surface. This was to be ready two to three years after the first landing.

No other details were available, but this was clearly the ancestor of the two-crew L3M and various N1-launced lunar long-duration stay spacecraft planned for the late 1970's. The booster described in the discussions corresponded to the N-IFV-III design in Korolev's 1965 study of future N1 variants. This would have had a payload to low earth orbit of 125 metric tons, implying an L5 mass landed on the moon of about 27 metric tons in a two-launch scenario.

Crew Size: 5. Design Life: 90 days. Mass: 27,000 kg (59,000 lb). Payload: 1,500 kg (3,300 lb).

• 1967 October 10 - Lunar Soviet - Program: Lunar L1, Lunar L3. Launch Vehicle: N1.
  The meeting is headed by Afanasyev. The first N1 will have a payload of only 76 tonnes, versus the 95 tonnes required for the L3 lunar landing complex. In order to land two cosmonauts on the moon, as the Americans are planning, a 105 tonne low earth orbit payload would be needed. This would require new engines in the first and second stages. Kuznetsov says that his 153 tonne engine could be uprated to 170 tonnes without any basic changes. Lox/LH2 engines would be needed for the upper stages. Keldysh questions the safety of the current plan of landing only one cosmonaut on the moon. Mishin replies that putting two cosmonauts on the moon simply is not possible with the N1. Chelomei raises a question - How is it possible that the Americans have built he Saturn V, which can put 130 tonnes in low earth orbit, in order to land two men on the moon, and Mishin says he can do the same mission with 105 tonnes? Mishin claims that this is due to the lighter design and construction of the L3. The following decisions are made:
  • The first Soviet flight to he moon will use the current plan - one N1 launch, one cosmonaut on the moon.
  • Special measures must be taken to ensure the safety of that single cosmonaut
  • A new N1 model is to be developed to land the new L5 spacecraft (which will be able to handle 4 to 5 crew, 1.5 to 2.0 tonnes of scientific equipment, and spend three months on the lunar surface). This is to be ready two to three years after the first landing.
  • The Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Defence, and MOM are to develop a program of military and scientific experiments to be carried aboard the L3
  • The next meeting of the lunar soviet will be in November/December 1967