At Launch Pad 39A technicians prepare for the final release of the seven slidewire baskets from the level.

At Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians prepare for the final release of the seven slidewire baskets from the 195-foot level. After the baskets reach the ground they will be removed and put in storage.

The system of seven slidewire baskets at launch pads A and B provided an escape route for personnel inside the orbiter or on the orbiter access arm. The baskets are suspended from slidewires that extend from the pad’s Fixed Service Structure to a landing zone 1,200 feet to the west. Each basket could hold up to three people. A braking system catch net and drag chain slowed and then halted the baskets sliding down the wire approximately 55 miles per hour in about half a minute. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin