(AMELIA, La.) — Joined by United Launch Alliance (ULA) President and CEO Tory Bruno and other company executives at Bollinger Marine Fabricators, Bollinger Shipyards on Thursday officially laid the keel for the future R/S SpaceShip.
The new vessel will transport Vulcan rockets from the factory in Decatur, Ala., to launch sites at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. This is the second transport vessel in ULA’s maritime fleet.
“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 authenticators were Bruno; Chris Ellerhorst, vice president of the Kuiper Program at ULA; and Dan Caughran, vice president of production operations and supply chain for ULA.
“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 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 Shipyards a contract in December 2023 to build a second roll-on/roll-off vessel classed for both oceangoing and river service. Construction of the 356-foot-long ship is taking place at Bollinger Marine Fabricators in Amelia, La., with delivery to ULA expected in early 2026.
ULA is expanding launch capacity in support of its customer Amazon’s Project Kuiper. ULA’s new Vulcan rocket is contracted for 38 launches to support the deployment for the Project Kuiper constellation, which will provide fast, affordable broadband service to unserved and underserved communities around the world.
– Bollinger Shipyards
