Liberty Star

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Liberty Star
Liberty Star performing research in Oculina Bank.jpg
Ship data
flag United StatesUnited States United States
Callsign WRPH
home port Jacksonville
Owner US Department of Transportation
Shipyard Atlantic Marine Inc.
Build number 183
Ship dimensions and crew
length
53.65 m ( Lüa )
width 11.28 m
Side height 4.57 m
Draft Max. 3.88 m
measurement 743 GT / 222 NRZ
Machine system
machine 2 × diesel engines ( General Motors )
Machine
performanceTemplate: Infobox ship / maintenance / service format
2,238 kW (3,043 hp)
Service
speed
14 kn (26 km / h)
Energy
supply
2 × generators
Generator
powerTemplate: Infobox ship / maintenance / service format
330 kW (449 hp)
propeller 2 × propellers
Transport capacities
Load capacity 592 dw
Others
Classifications American Bureau of Shipping
Registration
numbers
IMO no. 7925302

The Liberty Star is an American ocean- going work ship and ocean tug . It is owned by NASA together with its sister ship , the Freedom Star , but was operated by the United Space Alliance .

history

The Liberty Star was built under hull number 183 by Atlantic Marine Shipyard in Fort George Island, Florida . In October 1980 it was delivered to its original owner, United Technologies , who later sold it to NASA. There the Liberty Star , like the Freedom Star , was used for years to recover the solid rocket rockets of the Space Shuttles from the Atlantic, using it as a tug. She also transported the space shuttle's external tank from the manufacturing facility , the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans , Louisiana , to the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

On August 21, 2012, shortly after the end of the space shuttle missions, NASA and the US Department of Transportation agreed to leave the Liberty Star to the United States Merchant Marine Academy as a training ship . Nevertheless, the ship is available to NASA for future missions.

Technical specifications

The ship is powered by two General Motors diesel engines with an output of 1119  kW each. A stern thruster allows the ship to move in any direction with the aid of a jet of water without using the propellers. This system was put in place to protect the endangered manatee population in the Banana River, home to the Liberty Star and Freedom Star's home port . It will also reduce the risk of divers working near the ship during the missions.

Web links

Commons : Liberty Star  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Department of Transportation Secures New Training Vessel for US Merchant Marine Academy. In: News Release MARAD 05-12. Maritime Administration, August 21, 2012, archived from the original on October 5, 2013 ; accessed on October 11, 2013 .
  2. Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster Retrieval Ships. In: KSC Release No. 46-81. NASA, September 1994, archived from the original on November 23, 2015 ; accessed on October 11, 2013 .