I happened upon this website as a result of a Google search re. yesterday's failed launch of the Orbital Sciences venture to resupply the ISS, and this URL appeared as the first search result. I've read your site guidelines, as well as the many comments on this news page, and as a lay person I humbly offer this question, which I hope someone will answer: Why was there no escape rocket atop the rocket's payload module? Was it considered cost-prohibitive? Thanks for your time. Cordially, Steve Logsdon. Post Script: I hope you won't think it patronizing of me to observe that I found the apparent erudition and literacy of the contributors to this web page to be most impressive.

With no human lives involved, I guess the cost of the payload is insignificant compared with the rocket, maybe even with the escape rocket.

Antares has a maximum payload of 6000kg. This is roughly the same as the launch mass of the Apollo command module, which weighed 5500kg. To rescue the command module in an emergency, Apollo missions had a 4200kg launch escape system. So we might expect a escape rocket to cost Antares almost half of its payload capacity.

Furthermore, adding a launch escape system would mean adding parachutes and flotation to a payload which otherwise doesn't need it.