Launch Escape System - Uses

Uses

Historically, LESes were used on American Mercury and Apollo spacecraft. Both designs used a solid-fuel rocket motor. The Mercury LES was built by the Grand Central Rocket Company in Redlands, California (which later became the Lockheed Propulsion Company). Apollo used a design that had many similarities to the Mercury system. Launch Escape Systems continue to be used on the Russian Soyuz and Chinese Shenzhou programme spacecraft. The SpaceX-designed Dragon spacecraft uses a liquid fueled launch abort system integrated to the capsule to minimize spacecraft costs.

The LES may be used while the launch vehicle is still on the launch pad, or during its ascent.