Editing Launch escape system (section)

== Related systems ==
[[File:TVD1-Brochure elements 22.png|thumb|left|upright=0.6|Subsystems of Launch Escape System (Indian Space Research Organization, 2023)]]
The Soviet Vostok and American Gemini spacecraft both made use of [[ejection seat]]s. The [[European Space Agency]]'s [[Hermes (shuttle)|Hermes]] and the Soviet [[Buran programme|''Buran''-class]] [[spaceplane]]s would also have made use of them if they had ever flown with crews. As shown by [[Soyuz T-10-1|Soyuz T-10a]], 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) [[solid rocket]]s. The Soyuz launch escape system is called {{lang|ru|САС}} or ''SAS'', from the Russian/[[Transliteration|transliterate]]d Russian {{lang|ru|Система Аварийного Спасения}} or {{lang|ru-Latn|Sistema Avariynogo Spaseniya}}, meaning emergency rescue system.<ref>{{cite web |last=McHale |first=Suzy |title=Soyuz launch escape system – RuSpace |url=http://suzymchale.com/ruspace/soyescape.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221212224/http://suzymchale.com/ruspace/soyescape.html |archive-date=21 February 2014 |access-date=23 April 2018 |website=suzymchale.com}}</ref>

The Soviet [[Proton (rocket family)|Proton launcher]] has flown dozens of times with an escape tower, under the [[Zond program]] and the [[TKS (spacecraft)|TKS program]].{{Cn|date=August 2022}} All of its flights were uncrewed.

The [[Space Shuttle]] 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,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last1=Betancourt |first1=Mark |title=They Said It Wasn't Possible to Escape the Space Shuttle. These Guys Showed It Was. |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/escape-speeding-shuttle-180975606/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=Smithsonian Magazine |language=en}}</ref> which could not be provided with escape hatches. Following the 1986 [[Space Shuttle Challenger disaster|''Challenger'' disaster]], 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),<ref name=":0" /> although only when the shuttle was in a controlled glide.

[[File:Crew_Dragon_Pad_Abort_Test_(16814592054).jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2|A [[SpaceX Dragon 2|Dragon 2]] undergoing a pad abort test on May 6, 2015, demonstrating a "pusher" LAS.]]
The [[Orion spacecraft]], which was developed to follow the Space Shuttle program, uses a Mercury and Apollo-style escape rocket system, while an alternative system, called the [[Max Launch Abort System]] (MLAS),<ref>[http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5300 NASA Spaceflight: ''Orion MLAS''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071208094607/http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5300|date=2007-12-08}}.</ref> was investigated and would have used existing solid-rocket motors integrated into the bullet-shaped protective launch shroud.

Under NASA's [[Commercial Crew Development]] (CCDev) program [[Blue Origin]] was awarded $3.7 million for development of an innovative 'pusher' LAS. It is used on the [[New Shepard Crew Capsule]].<ref>{{Cite news |author=Foust |first=Jeff |title=Blue Origin proposes orbital vehicle |url=http://www.newspacejournal.com/2010/02/18/blue-origin-proposes-orbital-vehicle/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118143215/http://www.newspacejournal.com/2010/02/18/blue-origin-proposes-orbital-vehicle/ |archive-date=2021-01-18 |access-date=2010-02-19}}</ref> 

Also under NASA's CCDev program, SpaceX was awarded $75 million for the development of their own version of a "pusher" LAS.<ref>{{Cite news |author=Morring Jr. |first=Frank |title=NASA Provides Seed Money For CCDev-2 |url=http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/asd/2011/04/19/02.xml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510203636/http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news%2Fasd%2F2011%2F04%2F19%2F02.xml |archive-date=2011-05-10 |access-date=2022-04-25}}</ref> Their Dragon 2 spacecraft uses its [[SuperDraco]] engines during a launch abort scenario. Although often referred to as a "pusher" arrangement since it lacks a tower, the [[Dragon 2 Launch Abort System|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 occurs with a more traditional tractor LAS. The concept was first tested in a pad abort test conducted at [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 40|SLC-40]], [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station]], on May 6, 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/news/2015/05/06/crew-dragon-completes-pad-abort-test|title=Crew Dragon Completes Pad Abort Test|first=Hannah|last=Post|date=6 May 2015|website=spacex.com|access-date=23 April 2018|archive-date=9 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109231136/http://www.spacex.com/news/2015/05/06/crew-dragon-completes-pad-abort-test|url-status=live}}</ref> SpaceX [[Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test|tested the system]] on January 19, 2020, during a full-scale simulation of a Falcon 9 rocket malfunction at [[Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39]], where it has later launched crews to the International Space Station.<ref>{{cite news|title=SpaceX moves launch of Dragon abort test to KSC|url=http://www.clickorlando.com/news/spacex-moves-launch-of-dragon-abort-test-to-ksc/33950886|work=Local 6|access-date=2015-07-04|archive-date=2015-07-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704222613/http://www.clickorlando.com/news/spacex-moves-launch-of-dragon-abort-test-to-ksc/33950886|url-status=live}}</ref>

The second crewed spacecraft selected by NASA for its CCDev program was [[Boeing]]'s [[CST-100 Starliner]], which, like SpaceX's Dragon 2 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 an emergency on the pad or during ascent.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://spacenews.com/boeings-starliner-launch-abort-engine-suffers-problem-during-testing/|title = Boeing's Starliner launch abort engine suffers problem during testing|date = 22 July 2018|access-date = 22 April 2019|archive-date = 25 April 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220425215606/https://spacenews.com/boeings-starliner-launch-abort-engine-suffers-problem-during-testing/|url-status = live}}</ref> The engines, which use hypergolic propellants and generate {{convert|40,000|lbf|kN}} of thrust each, are provided by [[Aerojet Rocketdyne]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://spacenews.com/boeings-starliner-launch-abort-engine-suffers-problem-during-testing/|title = Boeing's Starliner launch abort engine suffers problem during testing|date = 22 July 2018|access-date = 22 April 2019|archive-date = 25 April 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220425215606/https://spacenews.com/boeings-starliner-launch-abort-engine-suffers-problem-during-testing/|url-status = live}}</ref> The abort system was tested successfully during the [[Boeing Pad Abort Test|Starliner's pad abort test]] on November 4, 2019, at [[White Sands Missile Range]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Clark|first=Stephen|title=Boeing tests crew capsule escape system – Spaceflight Now|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/11/04/boeing-starliner-pad-abort/|access-date=2020-06-24|language=en-US|archive-date=2019-12-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214044139/https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/11/04/boeing-starliner-pad-abort/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Orbital Sciences Corporation]] intends{{When|date=August 2022}} to sell the LAS it was building for the Orion spacecraft to future commercial crew vehicle providers in the wake of the cancellation of the Constellation project.<ref>{{Cite news |author=Clark |first=Stephen |title=Orbital sees bright future for Orion launch abort system |url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1002/18orionlas/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100222035031/http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1002/18orionlas/ |archive-date=2010-02-22 |access-date=2010-02-19}}</ref>