Launch Escape System

Launch Escape System
Launch Escape System by Kerbodyne
Radial size		Small
Cost	(total)	1 000.00
	(dry)	982.00
Mass	(total)	1.125 t
	(dry)	0.900 t
Drag		0.2-0.3
Max. Temp.		2700 K
Impact Tolerance		15 m/s
Research		Landing
Unlock cost		4 500
Since version		0.23.5
Part configuration		part.cfg
Maximum thrust	(1 atm)	666.67 kN
	(vacuum)	750.00 kN
Isp	(1 atm)	160 s
	(vacuum)	180 s
Fuel consumption		56.65 /s
Thrust vectoring		No
Burn time	(1 atm)	0.5 s
	(vacuum)	0.5 s
Testing Environments
On the surface		Yes
In the ocean		Yes
On the launchpad		Yes
In the atmosphere		Yes
Sub-orbital		Yes
In an orbit		Yes
On an escape		Yes
Docked		Yes
Test by staging		Yes
Manually testable		No
Packed volume		None
Solid fuel		30

The Launch Escape System (abbr. LES) is a tower which can be placed above a command pod to safely pull the crew of a rocket in case of an emergency. It behaves like a solid rocket booster as it is fuelled by solid fuel and that it can only activated once. Compared to the other solid rocket boosters the Launch Escape System has a pretty high specific impulse and thrust. The thrust is slightly tilted to steer sideways and clear the rest of the rocket.

Due to the low amount of solid fuel it only fires for five seconds but because it usually only pulls itself, some accessories like parachutes and a command pod the thrust-to-weight ratio is high. For example a combination of one Mk1-2 Command Pod, for which the LES fits the best, two Mk2-R Radial-Mount Parachute and the LES itself only mass 5.38 t which results in thrust-to-weight ratio of 14 on Kerbin.

Manufacturer's description

“

This super heavy tower is designed to wrench the command pod up and away from a malfunctioning rocket. — Kerbodyne

”

Changes

0.23.5 (projected)

• Initial release

See also

• Launch escape system on Wikipedia