NASA Testing Crew Escape System
During an emergency prior to launch, the astronauts would need a clear, safe path to exit, and the arm and White Room will serve as a bridge between the Crew Access Tower and the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft.
Dynamic testing of a water deluge system on Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, one of two commercial spacecraft being developed to carry astronauts to the International Space Station, took place this week at a construction site near the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA announced. Engineers and technicians were testing the systems that will support the Crew Access Arm and White Room; the deluge system is an important launch safety feature, according to NASA.
During an emergency prior to launch, the astronauts would need a clear, safe path to exit, and the arm and White Room will serve as a bridge between the Crew Access Tower and the spacecraft.
Two rounds of tests in different lighting conditions checked whether the water system could cover the arm adequately and LED lights could guide astronauts to safety.