Editing Pad Abort Test 2 (section)

==Objectives==
Apollo Pad Abort Test 2 was the fifth of six uncrewed Apollo missions that flight tested the capability of the [[Apollo spacecraft#Launch escape system (LES)|launch escape system]] (LES) to provide for safe recovery of Apollo crews under critical abort conditions. This flight was the second test of the launch escape system with the abort initiated from the launch pad.

The launch escape system included qualified launch escape and pitch motors and was equipped with canards to orient the vehicle aft heat shield forward prior to tower jettison and parachute deployment. A boost protective cover was also provided. The spacecraft was BP-23A, a [[Boilerplate (spaceflight)|boilerplate]] [[Apollo command module]] that had been used on mission [[A-002]] and refurbished to more nearly simulate a Block-I-type command module in mass and other characteristics. The Earth landing system was similar to the one used in mission [[A-003]].