Space Rescue

February 4, 2003 8:39 AM

Space Rescue. Since the 1960's engineers have been thinking about bail-outs and rescue of stranded space crews. From Project MOOSE and the Paracone of the 1960's, the 'Rescue Ball' of the early shuttle flights to the recently canceled (and perhaps soon to be revived) X-38 and even the Alpha Lifeboat based on left over Soviet space hardware.
posted by Jos Bleau (1 comment total)

Related technology: the escape capsule from the Convair B-58A Hustler bomber. Designed for ejections at Mach 2, it also had its own pressurization system. The pilot's capsule even had a little control stick--if the plane depressurized, the pilot could close up the capsule and steer the plane from within.

(Self link to high resolution image of the capsule.)
posted by tss at 4:36 PM on February 4, 2003