MV Liberty Star

History

Built at the Atlantic Marine Shipyard on Florida's Fort George Island, the Liberty Star was delivered in January 1981 to its first owner, United Technologies Corporation. Originally designed to recover Space Shuttle solid rocket boosters, the vessel has also towed Space Shuttle external fuel tanks since 1998, moving them from the Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans to the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center. It later recovered boosters from the first test flight of the Ares I and was expected to continue that role for the Constellation program until the program's cancellation in 2010. To handle the heavier load of towing external tanks, the ship received structural reinforcements: critical points in the stern were strengthened, new bulwark fairings were added, and an H-bitt was installed to keep tow cables centered. A hydraulic double-drum waterfall winch was also added, with each drum holding at least 2,000 feet of wire rope—one drum for booster retrieval, the other for tank towing. Occasionally, the Liberty Star has supported scientific research for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and several universities. It typically docks alongside its sister ship at the Solid Rocket Booster processing facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The vessel is powered by two main engines generating a combined 2,900 horsepower, driving two seven-foot controllable-pitch propellers for improved response and maneuverability. It also has two thrusters. The stern thruster is a water jet system that allows movement in any direction without propellers, installed to protect endangered manatees in the Banana River, where the ship is based. This system also reduces risk for divers working near the vessel during operations.