318:
431:
141:
1087:
227:
1292:
153:
465:
1304:
582:
461:
killed a pad worker. During the attempted launch, the booster switched from external to internal power as it normally would do, which then activated the abort sensing system. Originally it was thought that the LES firing was triggered by a gantry arm that tilted the rocket past 7 degrees, meeting one of the defined in-flight abort conditions.
64:
A solid-fueled rocket, mounted above the capsule on a tower, which delivers a relatively large thrust for a brief period of time to send the capsule a safe distance away from the launch vehicle, at which point the capsule's parachute recovery system can be used for a safe landing on ground or water.
460:
spacecraft on
December 14, 1966. The vehicle's strap-on boosters did not ignite, preventing the rocket from leaving the pad. About 30 minutes later, while the vehicle was being secured, the LES engine fired. Separation charges started a fire in the rocket's third stage, leading to an explosion that
367:
engines during a launch abort scenario. Although often referred to as a "pusher" arrangement since it lacks a tower, the Dragon 2 LAS removes both the capsule and its trunk together from the launch vehicle. The system is designed to abort with the SuperDraco engines at the top of the abort stack as
494:
separated from their launch vehicle after a booster rocket separation failure occurred at an altitude of 50 km during the ascent. However, at this point in the mission the LES had already been ejected and was not used to separate the crew capsule from the rest of the launch vehicle. Backup
399:
spacecraft, uses a "pusher" launch escape system, consisting of four launch abort engines mounted on the service module that can propel the spacecraft away from its Atlas V launch vehicle in the event of an emergency on the pad or during ascent. The engines, which use hypergolic propellants and
55:
in case of an emergency requiring the abort of the launch, such as an impending explosion. The LES is typically controlled by a combination of automatic rocket failure detection, and a manual activation for the crew commander's use. The LES may be used while the launch vehicle is on the
20:
100:
The crew are seated in seats that eject themselves (ejection seats) as used in military aircraft; each crew member returns to Earth with an individual parachute. Such systems are effective only in a limited range of altitudes and speeds. These have been used on the
510:
engine suffered a failure at about 1 minute into the flight. The launch escape system was triggered and the capsule successfully separated and landed nominally. The flight was carrying microgravity scientific payloads in the crew capsule, without crew on board.
306:
was fitted with ejection seats for the two pilots in the initial test flights, but these were removed once the vehicle was deemed operational and carried additional crew members, which could not be provided with escape hatches. Following the 1986
314:, all surviving orbiters were fitted to allow for crew evacuation through the main ingress/egress hatch (using a specially developed parachute system that could be worn over a spacesuit), although only when the Shuttle was in a controlled glide.
452:
mission on
November 21, 1960, the escape system unintentionally blasted off from the Mercury spacecraft after the Redstone booster engine shut down just after ignition on the pad. The spacecraft remained attached to the booster on the ground.
90:
480:
on
September 26, 1983. The rocket caught fire, just before launch, and the LES carried the crew capsule clear, seconds before the rocket exploded. The crew were subjected to an acceleration of 14 to 17
487:(140 to 170 m/s) for five seconds and were badly bruised. Reportedly, the capsule reached an altitude of 2,000 meters (6,600 ft) and landed 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) from the launch pad.
167:
in 1958. The system, using the tower on the top of the space capsule to house rockets, was first used on a test of the
Project Mercury capsule in March 1959. Historically, LES were used on American
735:
260:, a LES must be able to carry a crew compartment from the launch pad to a height sufficient for its parachutes to open. Consequently, they must make use of large, powerful (and heavy)
993:
846:
820:
1272:
795:
369:
709:
765:
333:
which was developed to follow the Space
Shuttle program uses a Mercury and Apollo-style escape rocket system, while an alternative system, called the
69:
in a normal flight at the point where it is either no longer needed, or cannot be effectively used to abort the flight. These have been used on the
1205:
1029:
873:
590:
731:
495:
motors were used to separate the crew capsule resulting in the crew landing safely and uninjured approximately 19 minutes after launch.
337:(MLAS), was investigated and would have used existing solid-rocket motors integrated into the bullet-shaped protective launch shroud.
1123:
990:
119:
Thrusters integrated in the capsule or its detachable service module having the same function as an escape tower, as in the case of
899:
1182:
1177:
1307:
1252:
1172:
381:
842:
816:
687:
787:
920:
624:
1022:
985:
1086:
658:
605:
434:
89:
1128:
308:
188:
557:
377:
373:
705:
1335:
1295:
1267:
1049:
1015:
757:
1247:
1002:
415:
422:
to future commercial crew vehicle providers in the wake of the cancellation of the
Constellation project.
368:
occurs with a more traditional tractor LAS. The concept was first tested in a Pad Abort test conducted at
341:
184:
456:
An accidental pad firing of a launch escape system occurred during the attempted launch of the uncrewed
1330:
539:
520:
409:
869:
1262:
1144:
349:
211:
380:
the system on
January 19, 2020 during a full-scale simulation of a Falcon 9 rocket malfunction at
1231:
1065:
334:
288:
110:
430:
1038:
951:
405:
239:
208:
157:
82:
1200:
359:
was awarded $ 75 million for the development of their own version of a "pusher" LAS. Their
348:
was awarded $ 3.7 million for development of an innovative 'pusher' LAS, it is used on the
317:
180:
51:. It is used in the event of a critical emergency to quickly separate the capsule from its
8:
1156:
551:
441:
196:
191:
that had many similarities to the
Mercury system. LES continue to be used on the Russian
102:
144:
The escape system unintentionally blasted off from the
Mercury spacecraft on the failed
1149:
895:
525:
449:
401:
192:
172:
163:
The idea of using a rocket to remove the capsule from a space vehicle was developed by
145:
78:
140:
1221:
530:
503:
392:
176:
74:
659:"They Said It Wasn't Possible to Escape the Space Shuttle. These Guys Showed It Was"
586:
928:
681:
545:
535:
457:
419:
330:
296:
243:
215:
124:
1277:
997:
691:
396:
360:
322:
273:
247:
204:
168:
70:
256:
would also have made use of them if they had ever flown with crews. As shown by
632:
106:
94:
52:
979:
1324:
384:, from where it has later launched crews to the International Space Station.
303:
235:
230:
Subsystems of Launch Escape System (Indian Space
Research Organization, 2023)
66:
48:
24:
609:
476:
The first usage with a crewed mission occurred during the attempt to launch
226:
477:
469:
292:
261:
257:
164:
1116:
564:
499:
491:
345:
325:
undergoing a Pad Abort test on May 6, 2015, demonstrating a "pusher" LAS.
128:
120:
1007:
387:
The second crewed spacecraft selected by NASA for its CCDEV program was
179:
motor. The Mercury LES was built by the Grand Central Rocket Company in
23:
Launch-abort-system and parachute test of the Apollo Command Module via
843:"Boeing's Starliner launch abort engine suffers problem during testing"
817:"Boeing's Starliner launch abort engine suffers problem during testing"
364:
253:
57:
548:– LES pad abort test of near Block-I CM with Apollo Boilerplate B-23A.
464:
437:
152:
538:– Launch Escape System (LES) abort test from launch pad with Apollo
1073:
568:
234:
The Soviet Vostok and American Gemini spacecraft both made use of
1106:
482:
60:, or during its ascent. Such systems are usually of three types:
1257:
1111:
1101:
952:"New Shepard suffers in-flight abort on uncrewed NS-23 mission"
561:
388:
356:
200:
400:
generate 40,000 pounds-force of thrust each, are provided by
19:
870:"Boeing tests crew capsule escape system – Spaceflight Now"
507:
16:
A system to get the crew to safety if a rocket launch fails
896:"Orbital sees bright future for Orion launch abort system"
291:
has flown dozens of times with an escape tower, under the
214:
launch abort system integrated to the capsule and the
472:
capsule aborts from the launch pad (September 1983).
65:
The escape tower and rocket are jettisoned from the
980:
Launch Pad Escape System Design (Human Spaceflight)
404:. The abort system was tested successfully during
788:"SpaceX moves launch of Dragon abort test to KSC"
1322:
418:intends to sell the LAS it was building for the
1023:
1003:NASA Pad Abort 1 Flight Test Video Highlights
591:National Aeronautics and Space Administration
440:boilerplate during its launch escape system
218:uses abort thrusters in its service module.
264:. The Soyuz launch escape system is called
1085:
1030:
1016:
1124:Shuttle-Derived Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle
1037:
991:NASA Orion Pad Abort 1 Test Flight Photos
949:
498:On September 12, 2022 during Blue Origin
47:) is a crew-safety system connected to a
463:
429:
316:
225:
151:
139:
88:
18:
950:Davenport, Justin (12 September 2022).
729:
1323:
1253:Exploration Systems Architecture Study
758:"Crew Dragon Completes Pad Abort Test"
732:"NASA Provides Seed Money For CCDev-2"
706:"Blue Origin proposes orbital vehicle"
656:
625:"Soyuz launch escape system – RuSpace"
382:Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39
1011:
1303:
755:
652:
650:
554:– pad abort test of ISRO crew module
299:. All of its flights were uncrewed.
768:from the original on 9 January 2016
284:, meaning emergency rescue system.
13:
849:from the original on 25 April 2022
823:from the original on 25 April 2022
622:
589:from websites or documents of the
221:
14:
1347:
973:
893:
867:
703:
647:
355:Also under NASA's CCDev program,
1302:
1291:
1290:
585: This article incorporates
580:
558:Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test
490:On October 11, 2018 the crew of
374:Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
175:spacecraft. Both designs used a
943:
913:
902:from the original on 2010-02-22
887:
876:from the original on 2019-12-14
861:
835:
798:from the original on 2015-07-04
738:from the original on 2011-05-10
712:from the original on 2021-01-18
1268:NASA Authorization Act of 2005
1232:Max Launch Abort System (MLAS)
809:
780:
749:
723:
697:
675:
616:
598:
406:the Starliner's pad abort test
1:
575:
468:Soviet officers watch as the
1248:Vision for Space Exploration
560:– Launch Abort test for the
416:Orbital Sciences Corporation
282:Sistema Avariynogo Spaseniya
7:
756:Post, Hannah (6 May 2015).
514:
342:Commercial Crew Development
278:Система Аварийного Спасения
185:Lockheed Propulsion Company
10:
1352:
606:"astronautix Escape Tower"
135:
1286:
1240:
1227:Launch Abort System (LAS)
1214:
1193:
1165:
1137:
1094:
1083:
1058:
1045:
925:Encyclopedia Astronautica
521:Flight termination system
410:White Sands Missile Range
376:, on May 6, 2015. SpaceX
156:The escape tower used by
116:during its testing phase.
1263:Constellation Space Suit
1145:Crew Exploration Vehicle
425:
350:New Shepard Crew Capsule
183:(which later became the
408:on November 4, 2019 at
395:, which, like SpaceX's
335:Max Launch Abort System
1206:Mission Control Center
587:public domain material
473:
445:
326:
231:
160:
149:
98:
97:launch escape sequence
28:
1336:Spacecraft components
1039:Constellation program
467:
433:
320:
240:European Space Agency
229:
155:
143:
92:
22:
1273:Augustine Commission
1201:Kennedy Space Center
730:Morring Jr., Frank.
663:Smithsonian Magazine
363:spacecraft uses its
181:Redlands, California
33:launch escape system
956:NASASpaceflight.com
635:on 21 February 2014
552:ISRO Pad Abort Test
272:, from the Russian/
197:Shenzhou spacecraft
41:launch abort system
996:2012-11-26 at the
690:2007-12-08 at the
682:NASA Spaceflight:
657:Betancourt, Mark.
526:Apollo abort modes
474:
450:Mercury-Redstone 1
446:
402:Aerojet Rocketdyne
327:
232:
161:
150:
146:Mercury-Redstone 1
99:
29:
1331:Human spaceflight
1318:
1317:
1222:Orion abort modes
1194:Ground facilities
1173:Launch Complex 39
931:on 17 August 2013
921:"Kamanin Diaries"
531:Soyuz abort modes
393:CST-100 Starliner
177:solid-fuel rocket
1343:
1306:
1305:
1294:
1293:
1089:
1078:
1070:
1050:List of missions
1032:
1025:
1018:
1009:
1008:
967:
966:
964:
962:
947:
941:
940:
938:
936:
927:. Archived from
917:
911:
910:
908:
907:
894:Clark, Stephen.
891:
885:
884:
882:
881:
868:Clark, Stephen.
865:
859:
858:
856:
854:
845:. 22 July 2018.
839:
833:
832:
830:
828:
819:. 22 July 2018.
813:
807:
806:
804:
803:
784:
778:
777:
775:
773:
753:
747:
746:
744:
743:
727:
721:
720:
718:
717:
701:
695:
679:
673:
672:
670:
669:
654:
645:
644:
642:
640:
631:. Archived from
620:
614:
613:
608:. Archived from
602:
584:
583:
546:Pad Abort Test 2
536:Pad Abort Test 1
506:, the booster's
458:Soyuz 7K-OK No.1
420:Orion spacecraft
344:(CCDev) program
331:Orion spacecraft
216:Boeing Starliner
1351:
1350:
1346:
1345:
1344:
1342:
1341:
1340:
1321:
1320:
1319:
1314:
1282:
1278:Artemis program
1236:
1210:
1189:
1161:
1133:
1095:Launch vehicles
1090:
1081:
1076:
1068:
1054:
1041:
1036:
998:Wayback Machine
976:
971:
970:
960:
958:
948:
944:
934:
932:
919:
918:
914:
905:
903:
892:
888:
879:
877:
866:
862:
852:
850:
841:
840:
836:
826:
824:
815:
814:
810:
801:
799:
786:
785:
781:
771:
769:
754:
750:
741:
739:
728:
724:
715:
713:
702:
698:
692:Wayback Machine
680:
676:
667:
665:
655:
648:
638:
636:
621:
617:
604:
603:
599:
581:
578:
517:
428:
289:Proton launcher
246:and the Soviet
224:
222:Related systems
187:). Apollo used
138:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1349:
1339:
1338:
1333:
1316:
1315:
1313:
1312:
1300:
1287:
1284:
1283:
1281:
1280:
1275:
1270:
1265:
1260:
1255:
1250:
1244:
1242:
1241:Related topics
1238:
1237:
1235:
1234:
1229:
1224:
1218:
1216:
1212:
1211:
1209:
1208:
1203:
1197:
1195:
1191:
1190:
1188:
1187:
1186:
1185:
1180:
1169:
1167:
1163:
1162:
1160:
1159:
1154:
1153:
1152:
1141:
1139:
1135:
1134:
1132:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1120:
1119:
1109:
1104:
1098:
1096:
1092:
1091:
1084:
1082:
1080:
1079:
1071:
1062:
1060:
1056:
1055:
1053:
1052:
1046:
1043:
1042:
1035:
1034:
1027:
1020:
1012:
1006:
1005:
1000:
988:
983:
975:
974:External links
972:
969:
968:
942:
912:
886:
860:
834:
808:
779:
748:
722:
696:
674:
646:
629:suzymchale.com
623:McHale, Suzy.
615:
612:on 2013-11-08.
596:
595:
577:
574:
573:
572:
555:
549:
543:
533:
528:
523:
516:
513:
444:, 5 July 2018.
442:pad abort test
427:
424:
274:transliterated
236:ejection seats
223:
220:
137:
134:
133:
132:
117:
111:Space Shuttle
109:capsules, and
86:
53:launch vehicle
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1348:
1337:
1334:
1332:
1329:
1328:
1326:
1311:
1310:
1301:
1299:
1298:
1289:
1288:
1285:
1279:
1276:
1274:
1271:
1269:
1266:
1264:
1261:
1259:
1256:
1254:
1251:
1249:
1246:
1245:
1243:
1239:
1233:
1230:
1228:
1225:
1223:
1220:
1219:
1217:
1215:Abort systems
1213:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1198:
1196:
1192:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1176:
1175:
1174:
1171:
1170:
1168:
1164:
1158:
1155:
1151:
1148:
1147:
1146:
1143:
1142:
1140:
1136:
1130:
1127:
1125:
1122:
1118:
1115:
1114:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1099:
1097:
1093:
1088:
1075:
1072:
1067:
1064:
1063:
1061:
1057:
1051:
1048:
1047:
1044:
1040:
1033:
1028:
1026:
1021:
1019:
1014:
1013:
1010:
1004:
1001:
999:
995:
992:
989:
987:
984:
981:
978:
977:
957:
953:
946:
930:
926:
922:
916:
901:
897:
890:
875:
871:
864:
848:
844:
838:
822:
818:
812:
797:
793:
789:
783:
767:
763:
759:
752:
737:
733:
726:
711:
707:
704:Foust, Jeff.
700:
693:
689:
686:
685:
678:
664:
660:
653:
651:
634:
630:
626:
619:
611:
607:
601:
597:
594:
592:
588:
570:
566:
563:
559:
556:
553:
550:
547:
544:
541:
537:
534:
532:
529:
527:
524:
522:
519:
518:
512:
509:
505:
501:
496:
493:
488:
486:
485:
479:
471:
466:
462:
459:
454:
451:
443:
439:
436:
432:
423:
421:
417:
413:
411:
407:
403:
398:
394:
390:
385:
383:
379:
375:
371:
366:
362:
358:
353:
351:
347:
343:
340:Under NASA's
338:
336:
332:
324:
319:
315:
313:
311:
305:
304:Space Shuttle
300:
298:
294:
290:
285:
283:
279:
275:
271:
267:
263:
262:solid rockets
259:
255:
252:
250:
245:
241:
237:
228:
219:
217:
213:
212:liquid-fueled
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
182:
178:
174:
170:
166:
159:
154:
147:
142:
130:
126:
122:
118:
115:
114:
108:
104:
96:
91:
87:
84:
80:
76:
72:
68:
67:space vehicle
63:
62:
61:
59:
54:
50:
49:space capsule
46:
42:
38:
34:
26:
25:Little Joe II
21:
1308:
1296:
1226:
1166:Launch sites
1059:Test flights
986:Soyuz T-10-1
961:12 September
959:. Retrieved
955:
945:
933:. Retrieved
929:the original
924:
915:
904:. Retrieved
889:
878:. Retrieved
863:
851:. Retrieved
837:
825:. Retrieved
811:
800:. Retrieved
791:
782:
770:. Retrieved
761:
751:
740:. Retrieved
725:
714:. Retrieved
699:
683:
677:
666:. Retrieved
662:
637:. Retrieved
633:the original
628:
618:
610:the original
600:
579:
567:capsule and
497:
489:
483:
478:Soyuz T-10-1
475:
455:
447:
414:
386:
354:
339:
328:
309:
301:
293:Zond program
286:
281:
277:
269:
265:
248:
233:
195:and Chinese
165:Maxime Faget
162:
112:
44:
40:
36:
32:
30:
565:Crew Dragon
540:Boilerplate
500:New Shepard
492:Soyuz MS-10
448:During the
346:Blue Origin
297:TKS program
287:The Soviet
258:Soyuz T-10a
254:spaceplanes
129:New Shepard
121:Crew Dragon
93:Diagram of
1325:Categories
1138:Spacecraft
1077:(Oct 2009)
1069:(Jul 2009)
982:. NASA.gov
906:2010-02-19
880:2020-06-24
802:2015-07-04
762:spacex.com
742:2022-04-25
716:2010-02-19
684:Orion MLAS
668:2022-08-22
576:References
470:Soyuz T-10
365:SuperDraco
310:Challenger
209:hypergolic
58:launch pad
438:Gaganyaan
203:designed
125:Starliner
85:capsules.
1297:Category
1074:Ares I-X
994:Archived
900:Archived
874:Archived
853:22 April
847:Archived
827:22 April
821:Archived
796:Archived
772:23 April
766:Archived
736:Archived
710:Archived
688:Archived
639:23 April
569:Falcon 9
515:See also
397:Dragon 2
361:Dragon 2
323:Dragon 2
312:disaster
295:and the
276:Russian
205:Dragon 2
189:a design
158:Shenzhou
113:Columbia
95:Gemini's
83:Shenzhou
1309:Commons
1129:Jupiter
1107:Ares IV
792:Local 6
502:flight
207:uses a
169:Mercury
148:mission
136:History
71:Mercury
1258:DIRECT
1157:Altair
1112:Ares V
1102:Ares I
935:18 May
562:SpaceX
389:Boeing
378:tested
370:SLC-40
357:SpaceX
251:-class
244:Hermes
238:. The
201:SpaceX
199:. The
173:Apollo
107:Gemini
103:Vostok
81:, and
75:Apollo
1150:Orion
542:BP-6.
504:NS-23
426:Usage
249:Buran
193:Soyuz
79:Soyuz
39:) or
1117:Lite
1066:MLAS
963:2022
937:2016
855:2019
829:2019
774:2018
641:2018
508:BE-3
435:ISRO
329:The
302:The
171:and
127:and
105:and
391:'s
352:.
280:or
270:SAS
268:or
266:CAC
242:'s
45:LAS
37:LES
1327::
954:.
923:.
898:.
872:.
794:.
790:.
764:.
760:.
734:.
708:.
661:.
649:^
627:.
593:.
412:.
372:,
321:A
123:,
77:,
73:,
31:A
1183:B
1178:A
1031:e
1024:t
1017:v
965:.
939:.
909:.
883:.
857:.
831:.
805:.
776:.
745:.
719:.
694:.
671:.
643:.
571:.
484:g
131:.
43:(
35:(
27:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
