Rescue in space

Space Shuttle missions designated STS-3xx (officially called Launch On Need (LON) missions) were rescue missions which would have been mounted to rescue the crew of a Space Shuttle if their vehicle was damaged and deemed unable to make a successful reentry. Such a mission would have been flown if Mission Control determined that the heat shielding tiles and reinforced carbon-carbon panels of a currently flying orbiter were damaged beyond the repair capabilities of the available on-orbit repair methods. These missions were also referred to as Launch on Demand (LOD) and Contingency Shuttle Crew S

backup rescue flight as part of a contingency plan for the Skylab space station

thumb|Comparison of International Space Station and [[Hubble Space Telescope orbits]] STS-400 was the Space Shuttle contingency support (Launch On Need) flight that would have been launched using if a major problem occurred on during STS-125, the final Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission (HST SM-4).

device used for untethered spacewalks during the Space Shuttle and ISS programs

treaty setting forth rights and obligations of states concerning the rescue of persons in space

device for transporting astronauts between Space Shuttles in an emergency