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SpaceX Tests New Emergency-escape Astronaut Slide
SpaceX recently conducted a test of a new emergency-escape astronaut slide at Pad 40 at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The deployable slide, installed atop the tower at Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40), is designed to quickly evacuate astronauts in case of an emergency before liftoff.
The 24-second video of the slide test, posted by SpaceX on Twitter, offers an astronaut’s-eye view of the experience. Despite its intended emergency use, the slide seems reminiscent of an amusement park ride. SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk even commented on the video, noting that “Even though it’s meant to be used for emergencies, it looks like a lot of fun!”
The recent slide test is a crucial part of SpaceX’s certification process for SLC-40 to facilitate astronaut launches. While SpaceX has previously conducted 13 crewed missions from Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the new slide system at SLC-40 offers a different evacuation method. Unlike the baskets sliding down wires at Pad 39A, the SLC-40 system consists of an enclosed chute that deploys from the tower’s top, descending via pre-placed cables to the ground.
SpaceX’s Launch History from SLC-40
Over the years, SpaceX has launched numerous uncrewed missions from SLC-40. Another mission is scheduled to lift off on Thursday, March 21, if all goes according to plan. A Falcon 9 rocket will launch a robotic Dragon cargo capsule to the International Space Station from the pad at 4:55 p.m. EDT (2055 GMT).
Stay tuned to Space.com for live coverage of the launch event when the time comes.
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