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Bumblebee-class Lifepod

Article by Stephen Loftus [SoundEffect]


Bumblebee-class Lifepod

Role

The Bumblebee-class Lifepod is a standard escape craft installed on many UNSC ships and space stations. Its purpose is to provide crew evacuation in a rapid and safe fashion during catastrophic emergencies.

The Lifepod is designed to carry a nine-person capacity (including pilot), and provisions enough for two-week survival independence. The single-deck craft is also small enough that many can be deployed aboard vessels and stations without adversely impacting other design and space considerations.

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Lifepod Launch Lifepods in Space Lifepod Pilot
Lifepod Launch Lifepods in Space Lifepod Pilot

Crew

There is one pilot required for the Lifepod. The forward cabin is only large enough for the pilot and the surrounding instrument panel. The main area has angled seating for eight crew; four per side. The eight crash seats have twin shoulder harnesses that connect the seat arms to the seat back above the shoulders.

Pilot's Controls Angled Seating Strapped-in Marine
Pilot's Controls Angled Seating Strapped-in Marine

Speed

The Lifepod is capable of independent maneuvering and flight, although it is not designed for extensive atmospheric use. The lifeboat can reach a velocity of about 1,041km/h while in outer space. Under the influence of the gravity and atmosphere of a planet, this speed is diminished to a maximum of 173.5km/h. During the controlled crash of the UNSC cruiser Pillar of Autumn to the ringworld Halo, the surviving Lifepods all touched down several kilometers from the ship.

Atmospheric Re-Entry Atmospheric Descent The Autumn and Lifepods
Atmospheric Re-Entry Atmospheric Descent The Autumn and Lifepods

Armament

The Bumblebee-class Lifepod is unarmed. Armaments were purposely not designed into the craft to keep its weight to a minimum, especially during atmospheric maneuvers. There are standard-issue firearms in locked cabinets within the pod, for crew use once the pod has reached a planetary surface or docked with another ship.


Bumblebee-class Lifepod Cutaway



Exterior Characteristics

The Lifepod is characterized as a teardrop-shaped fuselage, with stabilizer fins used to maintain orientation within an atmosphere. Four hydraulic hinge air brakes are contoured into the aft quarters of the craft to assist in braking maneuvers during planetfall. Crew ingress/egress is facilitated by a round hatch airlock at the back of the craft. Several thrusters, miniaturized versions similar to those aboard capital ships, utilize chemical propellants to maneuver the pod during spaceflight and atmospheric operations.

Master Chief, Lifepod Survivor Lifepod With Air Brakes Not All Escaped The Covenant
Master Chief, Lifepod Survivor Lifepod With Air Brakes Not All Escaped The Covenant

Interior Characteristics

There are three areas within the lifeboat: the cockpit, the troop area, and the airlock. A narrow corridor connects them. The floor plates are removable to facilitate repairs and access to engineering and propulsion systems. The cockpit has a single throttle and control assembly. A screen in the front provides flight information to the pilot, either directly on screen or through a special HUD on the pilot's helmet. Overhead compartments along the tops of the seats store rations and other emergency consumables.

Lifepod Cockpit Lifepod Interior (Aft) Lifepod Interior (Fore)
Lifepod Cockpit Lifepod Interior (Aft) Lifepod Interior (Fore)

Operations

The Lifepod, when docked at a ship's or station's airlock, is protected in its launch tube by blast doors. These doors typically retract when a Combat Alert has reached the point that the order to abandon ship has been issued.

Closed Outer Airlock Hatch Open Outer Airlock Hatch Lifepod Launch Tube
Closed Outer Airlock Hatch Open Outer Airlock Hatch Lifepod Launch Tube

On many UNSC ships, there is a dedicated bridge station, manned during emergencies only, that coordinates evacuation efforts and sees to the operational readiness of escape craft, plotting safe outbound trajectories, etc. The Lifepod airlocks are very visible on board ships and stations. Corridors marked in red stripes and floor locators all aid emergency ops even during emergency lighting conditions. The Lifepod is launched with its systems on, but is not under its own power at launch. The spacecraft's launch tube ejects the lifeboat at a rapid velocity, after which, the pod's onboard computer takes over flight under the pilot's direction.

Lifepod Bridge Station Lifepod Airlock on Ship Lifepod Escapes the Autumn
Lifepod Bridge Station Lifepod Airlock on Ship Lifepod Escapes the Autumn

Emergency Ops

Lifepods are able to withstand extreme temperatures, such as those encountered when plunging through the atmosphere of a planetary body. The ceramic composite skin is thickened on the ventral prow of the ship, as the optimum angle of descent has this portion of the vehicle endure the most atmospheric drag and thermal variance.

Lifepod

Mouse Over Image For Air Brake Deployment (requires Javascript)

Once the Lifepod has passed through the outer layers of the atmosphere, the pilot attempts to slow the craft down with maneuvers designed to maximize the craft's 'hang time' in the air. Once the vehicle's velocity has sufficiently slowed, four hydraulically-deployed air brakes open up to further increase the pod's drag on the air to diminish its re-entry speed. As durable as the air brake hinges are designed, it is common for one or more stress failures to tear the air brakes off the ship. In conjunction with the air brakes, powerful retrothrusters at the bow of the pod ignite and rapidly slow the craft's descent. The Lifepod is only intended for a one-time emergency use, so although it can not independently make a trans-atmospheric flight again, the damage sustained on impact is justified if it results in crew survival. After making a landing, the pod's usefulness is not at an end. It further serves to provide weeks worth of supplies, shelter, and limited armaments all to aid crew survival once on the surface.

Retrothrusters and Air Brakes Air Brakes Break Away Master Chief on Halo's Surface
Retrothrusters and Air Brakes Air Brakes Break Away Master Chief on Halo's Surface

Known Lifepods

  • Lima Foxtrot Alpha 43 (LFA-43) - (Master Chief's pod to Halo)
    • Crew: (Sept. 19, 2552)
      • (Female Marine Pilot) DOA
      • Spartan-117/Cortana
      • (Armored Marine) DOA
      • (Armored Marine) DOA
      • (Armored Marine) DOA
      • (Armored Marine) DOA
      • (Armored Marine) DOA
      • (Armored Marine) DOA
      • (Empty)
Autumn Launches Pod LFA-43 LFA-43 Crashes on Halo Master Chief's Crash Site
Autumn Launches Pod LFA-43 LFA-43 Crashes on Halo Master Chief's Crash Site

  • Kilo Tango Victor 17 (KTV-17) - (Captain Keyes' pod to Halo)
    • Crew: (Sept. 19, 2552)
      • Ensign William Lovell (Pilot)
      • Captain Jacob Keyes
      • (Marine Corporal)
      • Lieutenant Aki Hikowa
      • Wang
      • Ensign Ellen Dowski
      • Abiad
      • Corporal Wilkins
      • Singh
Captain Keyes' Lifepod Launch Keyes' Pod Approaches Halo Ens. Lovell Takes KTV-17 Down
Captain Keyes' Lifepod Launch Keyes' Pod Approaches Halo Ens. Lovell Takes KTV-17 Down

  • (Lifepod Crash Near Beam Tower #1) - (Sgt. Johnson's pod to Halo)
    • Crew: (Sept. 19, 2552)
      • Sergeant Avery Johnson
      • Private Bisenti
      • (Marine)
      • (Marine)
      • (Autumn Crewman)
      • (Autumn Crewman)
      • (Armored Marine) DOA
      • (Armored Marine) DOA
      • (Empty Seat)
Johnson's Pod Clears The Autumn Pod Crash Near Beam Tower Johnson's Pod on Halo
Johnson's Pod Clears The Autumn Pod Crash Near Beam Tower Johnson's Pod on Halo

  • (Lifepod Crash Near Beam Tower #2)
    • Crew: (Sept. 19, 2552)
      • (Autumn Crewman)
      • (Autumn Crewman)
      • (Marine)
      • (Marine)
      • (Armored Marine)
      • (Armored Marine) DOA
      • (Armored Marine) DOA
      • (Armored Marine) DOA
      • (Armored Marine) DOA
Lifepod Near Beam Tower #2 No Survivors Found At Site Banshees Circle For Survivors
Lifepod Near Beam Tower #2 No Survivors Found At Site Banshees Circle For Survivors

  • (Lifepod Crash Near Beam Tower #3)
    • Crew: (Sept. 19, 2552)
      • (Marine Sergeant)
      • (Marine Sniper)
      • (Marine)
      • (Armored Marine)
      • (Armored Marine Sniper) DOA
      • (Armored Marine) DOA
      • (Armored Marine) DOA
      • (Empty)
      • (Empty)
Lifepod Near Beam Tower #3 Two Beam Towers In Valleys Pelican Picks Up Survivors
Lifepod Near Beam Tower #3 Two Beam Towers In Valleys Pelican Picks Up Survivors

  • (Lifepod Crash Near Rockslide)
    • Crew: (Sept. 19, 2552)
      • (Marine Sergeant)
      • (Marine)
      • (Marine)
      • (Marine)
      • (Armored Marine)
      • (Armored Marine)
      • (Armored Marine Sniper)
      • (Armored Marine) DOA
      • (Armored Marine) DOA
Lifepod Crash Near Rockslide Marine Survivors Lookout For Covenant
Lifepod Crash Near Rockslide Marine Survivors Lookout For Covenant



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