Abort button

[TapioBearking]

Hi Guys,

I've been playing for a while and realized that there's an abort button left of the altimeter:

Does anyone have a clue, what this is for?

I clicked on it several times during different phases, but nothing happend.

Regards

Alex

[sjwt]

IIRC it activates all stages to force your final stage out.

[Pursuedtank]

In action groups you can click on the abort menu which comes above the numbers. You can then set it up so that various engines turn off/on or parts decouple, to try and get your spacecraft with kerbals inside, away from the main ship, in case it explodes or something. It can also be activated using the backspace button, while not on the map screen.

[Kasuha]

It activates the Abort action group and does whatever you have put into it in VAB/SPH. If you did not set it up, it does nothing.

The Backspace key has the same function and is way more comfortable to use when you get to tight siguation (and have the Abort action set up).

Edited January 3, 2014 by Kasuha

[MajorThomas]

Thank you Kasuha, I'd been wondering what the Abort button does.

I'd consider this thread "Answered."

[BlackBicycle]

Excellent info here. I personally never used the feature (my abort is built into stages, so in case the launch goes pear-shaped, I just spacebar through till my "abort/recovery" stage). Neat feature, I'd say! Thanks for bringing this up.

[Claw]

Excellent info here. I personally never used the feature (my abort is built into stages, so in case the launch goes pear-shaped, I just spacebar through till my "abort/recovery" stage). Neat feature, I'd say! Thanks for bringing this up.

Well that's the whole point of being able to program the abort button, so you don't have to space bar through everything. Although if you like it that way, then by all means stick with it.

The nice thing about programming the abort button (or any action group can substitute), is that it also shuts down engines, deploys legs, and all those other things you can't do by staging (if you need it).

[Capt. Hunt]

To be honest, with the revert button, I usually just ride a failed launch out, watch it explode and revert to VAB, but I've been known to use it on occasion.

[lajoswinkler]

The nice thing about programming the abort button (or any action group can substitute), is that it also shuts down engines, deploys legs, and all those other things you can't do by staging (if you need it).

No, it doesn't shut down anything. Abort or 01, 02 or whatever the thing in action group is called, it does what you instruct it to do. It just exists as abort button to be convenient.

[Claw]

No, it doesn't shut down anything. Abort or 01, 02 or whatever the thing in action group is called, it does what you instruct it to do. It just exists as abort button to be convenient.

Yep, my bad. I didn't explicitly say you had to program it since that's what others in the the thread have already said. (Oh wait, I did say program...)

The nice thing about programming the abort button (or any action group can substitute), is that it also shuts down engines, deploys legs, and all those other things you can't do by staging (if you need it).

Anyway, my point was that you can't shut down engines using the space bar. You CAN shut down engines using the action groups.

You are indeed correct, you must program them to do those things.

[Xavven]

I use the abort button to activate my LES (Launch Escape System) made of an octagonal strut with 8 sepatrons on it (for the black MK-1 command pod). It induces 9g of acceleration for about 5 seconds. Real-life LES induce about 15g for 5 seconds. Can you say blackout?!

[SSSPutnik]

Nicer that way, if things don't work out you never wake up...