Usage
The first fully operational test flight of an LES was Apollo mission A-004 on January 20, 1966. The mission used a Little Joe II booster, carrying an early version of the Apollo Command/Service Module.
Only one emergency use of an LES has occurred. This occurred during the attempt to launch Soyuz T-10-1 on September 26, 1983. The rocket caught fire, just before launch, but the LES was able to carry the crew capsule clear, seconds before the rocket exploded. The crew were subjected to an acceleration of 14 to 17 g (140 to 170 m/s²) for five seconds. Reportedly, the capsule reached an altitude of 2,000 meters (6,500 ft) and landed 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) from the launch pad. On the Soyuz, the grid fins also deploy on the payload fairing to stabilize the craft.
A previous launch accident occurred during the flight of Soyuz 18a on April 5, 1975. However in this case, the incident took place at high altitude, after the LES of the Soyuz had been discarded. The spacecraft automatically separated from the malfunctioning rocket and completed a successful re-entry.
Read more about this topic: Launch Escape System
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