#launch escape system

Stacking of Apollo A-004 Little Joe II at LC-36, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

Date: October 23, 1965

SDASM Archives: Casson_0020, Casson_0021

The Little Joe II was a rocket built for the sole purpose of testing the Apollo Saturn V escape system.

Between 1963 and 1966, five launches of the Little Joe II were conducted, each successfully proving the viability of the escape system. The Launch Escape System uses powerful solid rocket motors that would pull the Command Module away from the booster in the event of a catastrophic explosion or other abort situation at or shortly after launch.

The Little Joe II was identical in purpose and operation to the earlier Little Joe, which tested the LES on the earlier Mercury rockets and shared a similar short and stout profile. The Little Joe conducted eight launches between 1959 and 1960.

Recovery of the Apollo Boilerplate Command Module (BP-06) and Launch Escape System motor of Pad Abort Test 1 following its successful launch and landing. The spacecraft was lifted to 5,193 feet in 16 seconds by the LES (Launch Escape System) solid fuel rocket motor, landing 4,657 feet from the launch pad.

Date: November 7, 1963

Preparations for Apollo Pad Abort Test 1 (PA-1), using Apollo Boilerplate (BP-06) spacecraft, and launch escape system on adapter ring in firing position at Apollo-Little Joe II launch area, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

Date: October-November 1963

The Pad Abort (BP-6/PA-1) vehicle lifting off from LC-36 at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. This test flight was to investigate the effects on the Apollo spacecraft during an abort from the pad. It also tested the pitch motor and launch escape motor of the Launch Escape System (LES).

"The LES had to be able to pull the spacecraft away from an exploding rocket on the launch pad. The LES then had to gain enough altitude to allow the command module's parachutes to open, preferably with the spacecraft over water and not land.

The flight featured a production model LES and a boilerplate (BP-06) Apollo spacecraft, the first mission to feature one. The spacecraft carried no instruments for measuring structural loads as the capsule's boilerplate structure did not represent that of a real spacecraft."

-Information from Wikipedia: link

source

Date: November 7, 1963

North American Aviation photo: 7004-75-2A, 7004-75-2C

NM Museum of Space History: 1-0001, 1-0005, 1-0003

A-004 Apollo Boilerplate (BP-22) being stacked on the Little Joe II launch vehicle (Vehicle 12-51-2) in preparation for launch at LC-36 in White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

Posted on Flickr by Mike Acs.

Date: April 15, 1965

The Apollo Boilerplate (BP-06) being prepared for Pad Abort Test 1 (PA-1) at the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), New Mexico. This was the first abort test of the Apollo spacecraft, launched on November 7, 1963.

“A test version of the Apollo moon capsule will be fired 5,000 feet into the air Thursday at the White Sands (New Mexico) missile range. The escape tower rockets will lift the capsule from the pad. After reaching the desired altitude, three parachutes will return the capsule to earth.

NASA Photo via AP Wirephoto”

Note: the clam-shell structure next to the vehicle to shelter it against the elements.

Date: 1963

Posted on Flickr by Mike Acs.

Recovery of Apollo boilerplate spacecraft BP-23A after Pad Abort Test 2 flight.

Date: June 29, 1965