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 off a rocket in case of an emergency. It behaves like a solid rocket booster as it is fueled by solid fuel and that it can only be activated once. Compared to other solid fuel boosters, the LES has high thrust and high efficiency. The thrust is slightly tilted to steer sideways and clear the rest of the rocket. This gives it significant potential for putting a lander back in orbit around the celestial body on which it has landed, provided there is no atmoshpere, and the body has low enough gravity.

Due to the low amount of solid fuel it only fires for half a second. But, because it usually only pulls itself, some accessories like parachutes and a command pod, the LES's thrust-to-weight ratio is high. For example a combination of one Mk1-3 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.

Product description

“

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

”

Changes

0.23.5

• Initial release

See also

• Launch escape system on Wikipedia