The escape pod is an essential part of any starship. All capital ships and luxury liners have them, as well as most freighters. Pods are activated by entering them and pressing a simple control stud. When the button is pressed, the hatch seals and the pod is fired from the ship. If no world is nearby, the pod moves a safe distance from the ship in case of an explosion (normally 5,000 meters) and broadcasts a distress signal at three second intervals.
If there is a planet nearby, the pod will conduct a quick planetary life support survey. If the planet can support life, the pod will chart a path to an environmentally safe area and drop to the planet's surface. |