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Paul markaditionally's escape rocket has been installed at the top of the crew cabin, as shown in 1965 photos of the Apollo launch suspension test.
During the launch period or shortly after launch, the escape system will quickly remove the capsule from the transmitter in case of emergency (Image: NASA)
The goal of aerospace giant Boeing is in its CST-
The 100 space capsule is designed to transport seven crew members to the government and private space stations (
Figure: Boeing
If the astronaut's rocket explodes at the launch pad, what is the best way to bring them to safety?
For about 50 years, most spacecraft designs have used complex Solid Rocket Boosters installed at the top of the manned space capsule to pull the capsule to a safe parachute height.
But some engineers are developing what they call a smarter, more efficient "push" system.
Aviation giant Boeing described its system at the Farnborough International Air Show last week.
Why use the launch escape system?
Can't astronauts simply pop up in an emergency? Not easily.
In order for every astronaut to bail out safely, or to be thrown to the height of the parachute on the rocket --
They all have to sit near the escape hatch.
Too many Hatch will weaken the structure of the spacecraft.
The shuttle used the ejection seat during the first four flight tests, but only for the two pilots in front.
After the shuttle is put into use, the seats are removed because they are only used at speeds below Mach 3 and the shuttle reaches Mach 18.
What escape system does the shuttle use?
After the 1986 Challenger disaster, the spacecraft exploded 73 seconds after its launch, all seven crew members were missing, and the shuttle received limited bail.
Output capacity and colon;
If the spacecraft glides at a height of less than 6 kilometers, the crew can jump off the hatch with a parachute.
There is still no escape during the launch phase.
What system does other ships use?
Today, the Russian Federation and the Chinese Shenzhou spacecraft used rockets attached to the top of the manned spacecraft to drag the manned spacecraft out of danger (
See the video of the Alliance using an escape rocket when its launch failed in 1983).
This type of "start abort system "(LAS)
For the first time in 1959, NASA's Mercury program was employed in primary form and became a familiar attraction in the Apollo moon program.
Apollo used 12-metre-
The long Tower is fixed to the top of the crew cabin.
About the third place on the tower, four solid rocket booster nozzles point down to the capsule, away from the capsule (see image).
In an emergency, explosive bolts release capsules from the launch rocket and release powerful solids
The fuel escape rocket will launch the capsule onto a parachute.
Deployment height.
Future spacecraft, including NASA's Orion and Dragon's Dragon space capsule, will also use the traditional launch suspension system.
What are the disadvantages of traditional design?
If the escape system is not used during the elevator-
Close, it is discarded as soon as the air disappears (
60 kilometers from Apollo).
But before that, it added fuel.
Eat the weight, destroy the aerodynamics of the capsule, and dump some very good propellers into the ocean.
If the escape system is used, when the capsule starts to pull apart, a partial vacuum will occur between the capsule and the launch rocket below, said Henry Spencer, a spacecraft engineer based in Toronto, Canada, making extra resistance makes it harder for capsules to fly safely.
So what's the choice?
Boeing, one of the companies competing to develop a commercial cabin for NASA, is working on a "push" design instead of pushing the capsule from below.
A slender cylindrical Service Module under the capsule will carry a propeller driven by oxygen and liquid fuel for moving the capsule in orbit.
Boeing's plan is to provide enough fuel to safely push the capsule away from the explosive launch rocket.
What are the advantages of the "Pushers" system?
The aerodynamics is cleaner and in the first stage of the lift there is no huge tower at the top of the capsuleoff.
Place the escape propeller at the bottom of the capsule and when the capsule is separated from the launch rocket, pressurize the gap between them, thus eliminating suction
In traditional design, Spencer says, there is a cup effect between the two.
Also, if the capsule enters space without stopping the pad, it still has all the extra LAS fuel on board.
Fuel can be used-
Space drills-Boeing hopes not only to send its capsule to the International Space Station, but also to the inflatable space station that the American airline Bigelow hopes to launch in 2015.
Keith Reiley, commercial space flight program manager at Boeing, added that additional fuel can be used to increase the orbit of the space station, which will decrease over time due to atmospheric resistance.
What are the disadvantages of this approach?
If not required, the traditional escape tower will be removed, but the pusher system will leave a large amount of volatile fuel for the entire journey of the crew.
This increases the risk on track.
Apollo 13 shows what happens to the oxygen tank and Colon of the service module;
A similar explosion near LAS fuel could bring disaster.
This is the engineering challenge Boeing must face.