Rick Jones wrote:
Does Dragon use a escape tower for launch abort in the manned version or
does it have base-mounted escape rockets?

The artist's impression of a Dragon launch as presented at:

http://www.spacex.com/dragon.php

doesn't show an escape tower. Now, whether that is an omission on the
part of the artist or reflects actual design I do not know.


According to this, the service module houses some sort of abort system:
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=1095

"Below the capsule (crew compartment) is an integrated service module.
In addition to on-orbit operations, the service module can also provide
the combined crew compartment/service module with the ability to pull
the entire crew and cargo off the pad or out of the flight path should
an abort be required."

That's going to be a pretty formidable system to separate that much mass.

Pat