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Technician working on a Saturn rocket on launch pad.
(lemmy.world)
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this post was submitted on 15 Jun 2026
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That's the Launch Escape System (LES). It's a rocket motor that can activate to separate the crew capsule from the rest of the rocket in the event of a bad launch.
Ahh, gotcha. I assume it separates before the final stage booster ignites?
Yes, it gets jettisoned after the separation of the first stage and ignition of the second stage.
I believe (though I'm not an expert on the system) that it separates during the second stage when it's no longer needed.