Bollinger Lays Keel for New Rocket Transport Vessel
Bollinger Shipyards officially laid the keel for the R/S SpaceShip on October 24, 2024. The event, held at Bollinger Marine Fabricators, was attended by key executives, including Tory Bruno, President and CEO of United Launch Alliance (ULA), and Ben Bordelon, President and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards.
The R/S SpaceShip is set to be the second vessel in ULA’s maritime fleet, designed specifically to transport Vulcan rockets from their manufacturing facility in Decatur, Alabama, to launch sites at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
“We’re proud to continue our partnership with ULA in support of their increasing capabilities and launch capacity,” said Ben Bordelon, President and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards. “Bollinger’s skilled workforce is second to none when it comes to designing, engineering and building complex vessels to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, and we look forward to delivering SpaceShip to further ULA’s mission of enabling the future of space exploration.”
The keel authentication ceremony was performed by notable ULA executives, including Bruno, Chris Ellerhorst, Vice President of the Kuiper Program, and Dan Caughran, Vice President of Production Operations & Supply Chain.
“SpaceShip’s future voyages will transit rivers and seas, delivering powerful rockets to our launch pads and beyond, with that journey continuing literally into space,” said ULA President and CEO Tory Bruno. “As all rockets are not created equal, the same is true for ships. Bollinger’s legacy of more than 75 years of excellence in shipbuilding is impressive and we are proud to partner with this very capable team.”
ULA awarded Bollinger a contract in December 2023 to construct the 356-foot-long roll-on/roll-off vessel, which will be capable of both ocean-going and river service. The ship is scheduled for delivery in early 2026, reinforcing ULA’s commitment to enhancing launch capacity.
This initiative aligns with ULA’s growing role in supporting Amazon’s Project Kuiper, which aims to deliver fast and affordable broadband to underserved communities globally. The Vulcan rocket, ULA’s next-generation launch vehicle, successfully inaugurated its first flight in January 2024 and is slated for 38 launches as part of this ambitious project.