I'm seeing a lot of photos of this ship because it catches the eye of boat nerds. So wrote some notes about the factory and moved photos about loading the ship and the rockets to those notes. These notes now show the ship in transit.
I knew that NASA built a special barge to carry Saturn I equipment from Marshall Space Flight Center to Cape Canaveral. Richard's post below taught me that there is also a special RORO ship to carry multiple rocket stages from Decatur, AL to Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg Air Force Base. Besides being large enough to carry rocket stages, this ship can sail on both the inland waterways and the open ocean. To travel on the waterway, it can have only a 9' draft. To travel on the Gulf and Atlantic Oceans, it must be able to withstand high seas. To do this, it changes its draft between 8' and 12'. [Diagram Below]
Richard Montgomery posted two photos with the comment: "M/V Rocketship River Heights Restaurant @ Crump TN"
[According to the comments, while it was named Delta Mariner this was the ship that allided with the Eggner Ferry Bridge.]
Joseph Sledd: they paid half and the state of ky paid half of the damage he went thru the lbl side but that was the only span with 2 red lights and a green in the middle none of the other spans were lighted that is what cost ky not properly lighting the spans the main channel span was across the lake on the Auroa side.
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I can't find what "R/S" stands for. Normally I see SS for Steam Ship and M/V for Motor Vehicle. I presume it stands for Rocket Ship.
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| ULA "RocketShip is a highly maneuverable, unique custom-built rocket transport ship able to navigate both rivers and open ocean--the only U.S. flagged ship with this versatility. The roll-on, roll-off cargo ship is 312 feet long, weighs nearly 19 million pounds, has complete living quarters and dining area for its crew of 16, a heli-pad on the top deck, a below-deck machine shop and sophisticated computers and navigational aids on the bridge." |
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| MadeInAlabama-rocketship, at source material resolution "The R/S RocketShip, as it’s now called, is a 312-foot vessel designed specially to transport boosters and other large rocket components from Decatur to launch sites 8,000 miles away in California and nearly 1,700 miles distant in Florida." |
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| This photo has been moved to "Decatur, AL: United Launch Alliance (ULA) Rocket Factory." |
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| Brad Lucky Rivero posted Fueling the rocketship this fine Saturday morning. |
Morley Setliff posted two photos with the comment: "Passed up by the ole delta mariner today at Calvert City."
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Pushing a bow wave.
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| Denise Hart posted, cropped Delta mariner at Saltillo Tenn passing by aka Rocket Ship Kevin Miller: Chris Ryan what’s her typical cargo? Dennis DeBruler Kevin Miller "RocketShip has been in use for nearly two decades, bringing Delta IV rocket stages to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, and Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA. In 2011, it started carrying Atlas V stages and recently transported Vulcan Centaur stages." It can change its draft so that it can go on the Inland Waterway and the open ocean. |
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| One of four photos posted by Pickwick Lock The RocketShip stopped by this evening and locked through the auxiliary lock.  Pickwick Lock
[Pickwick Lock] |
Pickwick Lock posted two photos with the comment: "M/V Rocketship locking upbound yesterday evening."
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| Pickwick Lock posted What a magnificent sunset last night at Pickwick.  H. Soto |
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| Richard Montgomery posted Caught Rocketship this afternoon. TN River at Fisher Landing near Perryville [Perryville, KY, is a long way from the TN River. So I could not find the location, let alone determine if it was going up or downstream. I assume it was going upstream since it is riding so high that you can see the bow bulb. That implies it is not carrying a load of rockets.] |
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| Comments on Richard's post |
Two of the ten photos posted by Pickwick Lock with the comment: "The NASA Ship Pegasus locking through Pickwick Lock early this morning. 📸 H. Soto"
Dennis DeBruler: Can the bridge on the front of the barge remotely control the towboat at the rear?
Pickwick Lock: Dennis DeBruler yes, it can also be disengaged so the towboat has control when needed.
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| This photo has been moved to "Decatur, AL: United Launch Alliance (ULA) Rocket Factory." |
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| This photo has been moved to "Decatur, AL: United Launch Alliance (ULA) Rocket Factory." |
Pickwick Lock posted four photos with the comment: "Rocketship downbound out of Pickwick Main Lock."
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| Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. posted BHGI was recently selected by United Launch Alliance to design a river and ocean-going manned roll-on / roll-off barge for the transportation of its VulcanRocket. Pickwick Lock shared |
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| Pickwick Lock posted Steve Richardson snapped this photo as the RocketShip approached the Natchez Trace Bridge. Thanks for the photo. 📸 Steve Richardson [Given all of the water that is under the bridge, I assume they mean the Natchez Bridge instead of the Natchez Trace Bridge.] Harold Amburn: RocketShip? Pickwick Lock: Harold Amburn carries rocket parts for NASA between Decatur, AL and Cape Canaveral. FL. Also an occasional trip to California through the Panama Canal. Fort Loudoun Lock shared Another amazing shot of the Rocket Ship to finish off a great weekend! Thanks for posting Pickwick Lock ! Mark Fleenor: Purpose? Fort Loudoun Lock: Mark Fleenor https://blog.ulalaunch.com/.../s-rocketship-meet-the... |
7 photos of the RocketShip going downbound through the Pickwick Lock
12 photos of the RocketShip going downbound through the Pickwick Lock in Jun 2022
12 photos of the RocketShip going downbound through the Pickwick Lock in Jan 2023
4 photos of the RocketShip going through the auxilary lock at Pickwick (And more photos in the comments.)
Very interesting, I didn't know they had barges too!
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