MV Liberty Star

MV "Liberty Star" is one of two NASA-owned and United Space Alliance operated recovery ships tasked with retrieving spent Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB's) following the launch of Space Shuttle missions. Her sister is the MV "Freedom Star".

The ships were built at Atlantic Marine Shipyard on Fort George Island, Florida, and delivered in January 1981 to their original owner, United Towing. As well as recovering the Space Shuttle SRB's "Liberty Star" has since 1998 been used to tow the Space Shuttle external fuel tanks from their assembly plant at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana to the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. She may continue in a similar role when the new Ares V rocket is built after the Shuttle is retired in 2010.

The "Liberty Star" underwent special strengthening enhancements to withstand the greater burden of towing the external fuel tanks. The stern was strengthened at critical points, new bulwark fairings were added, and an H-bitt was installed through which cabling is threaded to keep it centered during towing operations. Also installed was a hydraulic towing winch, referred to as a double-drum waterfall winch, holding 2,000 feet or more of wire rope on each drum. One drum supports booster retrievals while the other is devoted to external tank towing.

"Liberty Star" has also occasionally been used to support scientific research operations including research for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and several universities. She is usually docked alongside her sister at the Solid Rocket Booster processing facility at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

References

* [http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/support/processing/srb/ The retrieval ships at nasa.gov]