Apollo Lunar Module descent stage, external and cutaway illustrations. The Lunar Module was used to land two astronauts on the surface of the Moon, and consisted of two sections. The descent stage allowed a powered landing on the lunar surface, and served as a launch pad for the ascent stage. It was supported by four folding landing gear legs, and contained a Descent Propulsion System engine with propellant tanks. The astronauts returned to the orbiting Command/Service Module spacecraft in the ascent stage, leaving the descent stage on the lunar surface.