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Adeptus Astartes have used Drop Pods since the time of the [[Great Crusade]].{{Fn|1}} The Drop Pods of the [[Adeptus Astartes]] look and work similarly to a ship's [[Life Pod]] and can carry either twelve normal [[Space Marine|Marines]], a single [[Space Marine Dreadnought|Dreadnought]] or a single [[Thunderfire Cannon]].{{Fn|4}} They Once loaded with their complement, they are launched moved by crane into launch tubes until it is time for launch.{{Fn|20}} Launched from a [[Strike Cruiser]] or [[Battle Barge]]{{Fn|1}} in low orbit towards the drop zone, usually amidst or near a battlefield{{Fn|3}}, they rapidly accelerate to tremendous speeds thanks to top-mounted jets.{{Fn|320}} Once launched, they plummet through the atmosphere until retro jets fire to slow their descent.{{Fn|4}} The gravitational pressure of a Drop Pod launch is immense, and even Space Marines have been known to pass out.{{Fn|20}} A [[machine spirit]] guides the pod to its destination and can receive further commands from the mother ship. Although the Pods become immobile after having landed they can be recovered by the [[Chapter|Chapter's]] [[Techmarine]]s and reused.{{Fn|1}}{{Fn|2a}}{{Fn|6a}} Drop Pods are usually extracted by using far larger vessels that not intended to operate in a war zone. After that they are transported to the ships that deployed them, repaired if needed and used in the next battle, so many Drop Pods have been in service for centuries. Some Space Marine Chapters inscribe records of each drop onto the interior bulkheads of their Drop Pods, so other brothers can read them and take heart in the insuing battles.{{Fn|12}}