Comments on: Interesting factoid re rocket Launch Escape Systems https://habitablezone.com/2015/06/04/interesting-factoid-re-rocket-launch-escape-systems/ Mon, 06 Apr 2026 12:03:37 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: hank https://habitablezone.com/2015/06/04/interesting-factoid-re-rocket-launch-escape-systems/#comment-32535 hank Fri, 05 Jun 2015 01:59:54 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=49712#comment-32535 but maybe the system could respond fast enough to save the crew in the event of certain types (but not all) emergencies. For example, if the booster suddenly exploded during lift off, there might not be enough time to save anybody. But a fire, or oscillation, or loss of servo control, etc, could be diagnosed and somebody could have the time to make a decision to scrub. Big George, an old school chum of mine, was a range safety officer at Canaveral. He had the thankless task of monitoring the launch and pressing the red button if things started to go south, (or worse, west, like towards Orlando!). Some emergencies he would be unable to respond to quickly enough, but in some cases, he had time to evaluate the problem and decide whether the mission could be saved, allowed to fall harmlessly into the sea (to gather more telemetry) or had to be terminated. Big George was also famous for two other trivia. One of the musicians in Santana stole his bass guitar...and...there is a gold plaque on the Viking spacecraft resting on the Martian surface with his name micro-engraved on it (along with about 20,000 other people who worked on that mission). but maybe the system could respond fast enough to save the crew in the event of certain types (but not all) emergencies. For example, if the booster suddenly exploded during lift off, there might not be enough time to save anybody. But a fire, or oscillation, or loss of servo control, etc, could be diagnosed and somebody could have the time to make a decision to scrub.

Big George, an old school chum of mine, was a range safety officer at Canaveral. He had the thankless task of monitoring the launch and pressing the red button if things started to go south, (or worse, west, like towards Orlando!). Some emergencies he would be unable to respond to quickly enough, but in some cases, he had time to evaluate the problem and decide whether the mission could be saved, allowed to fall harmlessly into the sea (to gather more telemetry) or had to be terminated.

Big George was also famous for two other trivia. One of the musicians in Santana stole his bass guitar…and…there is a gold plaque on the Viking spacecraft resting on the Martian surface with his name micro-engraved on it (along with about 20,000 other people who worked on that mission).

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