WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Space Shuttle prime crew astronauts Bob Crippen (left) and John Young (center) board the emergency pad escape system known as the "slidewire." The slidewire system provides a quick escape from upper launch pad platforms in case of a serious emergency. The flight crews wore the spacesuits and other equipment to be worn during a mission, but sandbags were used to duplicate the weight of riders in the slidewire baskets during the training.