Despite the rocket failure during Soyuz MS-10, which critical safety system functioned exactly as designed?

Answer

The launch abort sequence, activating the crew escape system

A significant takeaway from the October 2018 Soyuz MS-10 incident was the successful performance of the crew safety hardware. Although the rocket itself failed its primary objective of reaching orbit due to the booster separation issue, the specialized crew escape system, which is integral to human-rated variants, activated precisely according to its design specifications. This system executed the launch abort sequence, forcefully pulling the Soyuz capsule away from the malfunctioning core stage, allowing the crew to survive the subsequent emergency landing in Kazakhstan.

Despite the rocket failure during Soyuz MS-10, which critical safety system functioned exactly as designed?
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