Apollo spacecraft

The Apollo spacecraft was designed as part of the Apollo Program, by the United States in the early 1960s to land people on the moon before 1970 and return them safely to earth. It was made up of multiple units or modules that worked together to perform the mission of landing on the moon and returning to earth. The main parts of the Apollo spacecraft were (going from top to bottom) the launch escape system, the Command Module, the Service Module, the Lunar Module and the lunar module adapter.

Launch Escape System (LES)

The purpose of the Apollo Launch escape system was to pull the Command Module (which contained the crew cabin) rapidly away from any launch emergency.

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The emergency could be a pad fire, exploding launch vehicle or a launch vehicle going off course.

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The Launch Escape System would work automatically (or through manual activation) to fire a solid fuel escape rocket and open a canard system to direct the Command Module away from, and off the path of, a launch vehicle in trouble. The Launch Escape System would then jettison and the Command Module would land with its parachute recovery system.

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If the emergency happened on the launch pad, the Launch Escape System would lift the Command Module to a sufficient height to allow the recovery parachutes to deploy safely.

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• Major Components of the Launch Escape System (LES):
• Nose Cone / "Q-Ball" - The "Q-Ball" contained sensors that determined the angle of attack and attitude of the spacecraft and launch vehicle. It relayed this information to the spacecraft and the launch vehicle guidance system.
• Canard Assembly - Pitch Motor - These worked in combination to direct the Command Module off a straight path and to the side during an emergency. This would direct the Command Module off the flight path of an exploding launch vehicle. It would also direct the Command Module to land off to the side of any launch pad fire and not land back in the middle of it.
• Tower Jettison Motor - A smaller solid fuel motor that jettisons the Launch Escape System after it is no longer needed. This usually happens after second stage ignition.
• Launch Escape Motor - The main solid fuel rocket motor that, firing through four rocket nozzles, pulls the Command Module rapidly away from a launch emergency.
• Launch Escape Tower - Assembly that attaches the Launch Escape System rocket motors to the Command Module.
• Boost Protective Cover - Hollow cone shaped structure that fits over the Command Module during launch. It protects the Command Module heat shield and windows during ascent through the atmosphere. It also protects the Command Module from rocket exhaust should the Launch Escape System fire.
• Specifications:
• Total Length: 10.2 m
• Diameter: 0.66 m
• Total mass: 9,200 lb (4,170 kg)
• Thrust: 155,000 lbf (689 kN)