SpaceX, an American rocket company, has made a successful test of its SpaceX emergency abort system, which would be used in the case of astronauts needing to escape from a rocket that was malfunctioning while being launched.
Pad Abort Allows Space Crew to Fly Free of Malfunctioning Rockets
Deemed the Pad Abort Test, SpaceX tested it two weeks ago as part of a vital piece of qualification for the SpaceX Company to use its rockets to help astronauts travel into space. So far, SpaceX has only done unmanned missions such as launching satellites into orbit around the Earth and taking and bringing back items from the International Space Station (ISS). Since the Dragon rocket can travel into space at the speed of zero to 100 miles per hour in less than two seconds, it is necessary to be prepared for any type of SpaceX emergency that might occur during a launch.
SpaceX released a short video of the successful test. Shown from the perspective of a crewmember that would be aboard the Crew Dragon capsule, it shows the tremendous blast off and successful separation of the crew capsule from the rocket. Founder of SpaceX, Elon Musk, stated that the test was very successful and that anyone who had been onboard the spacecraft would have been in great shape afterward.
SpaceX Emergency Powered by SuperDraco Engines
The special SpaceX emergency abort system gets its power from eight huge SuperDrago engines that can make up to 120,000 pounds of thrusting power as it makes the crew capsule travel into the air. Unlike other kinds of abort systems, the SpaceX emergency Pad Abort is situated onto the capsule’s sides instead of on top. This is better because it lets the astronauts have a viable escape method clear up to the rocket reaching orbit, as well as being able to use its thrusters to land on the ground after a mission is completed.
SpaceX Working to Get Its Flights Certified by NASA
SpaceX has a Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract with NASA to finish developing their spacecraft and other flight systems by 2017 so they can be certified for travel to the ISS with astronauts. This recent successful test of the SpaceX emergency abort system will herald the way towards SpaceX being able to carry a manned mission.
NASA has given SpaceX this authorization so the US can work on getting spacecraft that can take astronauts to the ISS and bring them home, and not be 100 percent dependent on Russian spacecraft as the US is at this point.
The SpaceX emergency procedures will help astronauts stay safe in the case of a SpaceX emergency during a launch and puts the company well on its way to getting that certification to carry a manned mission sometime in the future for NASA.
