ULA’s SpaceShip will have full Schottel propulsion package

Image: Bollinger Shipyards

SpaceShip, the RO/RO cargo vessel under construction for United Launch Alliance by Bollinger Shipyards in Amelia, La., will be equipped with three Schottel SRP 460 LE RudderPropellers and two Schottel STT 1 TransverseThrusters STT 1. SpaceShip’s tailored electric system will be designed and supplied by Elkon Elelektrik a Turkey-headquarteresd member of the Schottel Group.

The vessel is scheduled for completion in 2026 and.will transport Vulcan rockets from the factory in Decatur, Ala, to the launch sites at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The three electrically driven SRP 460 LE RudderPropellers are in the embedded L-Drive variant. Each will have an input power of 2,100 kW and a propeller diameter of 2.6 meters. With this propulsionsystem , the 111 meter long and 25 meter wide vessel will achieve a maimum speed of 15 knots. The 360-degree steerable SRP combines high maneuverability with outstanding course stability during free sailing and provides powerful thrust in any chosen direction.

The L-Drive variant features a compact electric motor, embedded in the thruster’s azimuth module, reducing the overall height of the thruster. This space-saving solution is particularly suitable for installation in confined spaces or in environments where other machinery already requires a lot of space. In addition, fewer mechanical parts ensure less mechanical loss and incur lower maintenance costs.

To enhance the SpaceShip’s maneuvering performance, it will be equipped with two STT 1 units, each with an input power of 373 kW and a propeller diameter of 1.3 meter. sThe STT’s range of application extends from brief docking and casting-off in ports with only a limited number of operating hours per year to continuous operation under high load conditions in demanding positioning tasks. With this full propulsion package, suitable for both ocean-going and river service, the vessel will have outstanding maneuvering capabilities, which is particularly crucial for the safe transport of its highly valuable cargo.

SchotteL’s scope of supply will include its MasterStick joystick system which can control all five propulsion units simultaneously with one single lever, allowing precise and comfortable maneuvering.

Electrical system engineered and designed by Elkon

Elkon will deliver state-of-the-art active front end (AFE) drive technology for SpaceShip’s main electrical propulsion system, which improves propulsion efficiency, reduces fuel consumption and increases overall vessel performance. The Elkon technology is designed to deliver quieter, smoother operation while optimizing energy management across all ship systems. In addition to main switchboards, Elkon will equip the vessel with an alarm control and monitoring system (ACMS) that ensures operational safety through real-time diagnostics and proactive issue resolution, as well as a power management system (PMS) for optimizing energy distribution by intelligently integrating all generators and switchboard functions. Elkon’s scope of supply will be completed by integrated, space-optimized motor control centers (MCC), power distribution system panels, as well as bridge and engine control center consoles.

The close cooperation between Schottel and Elkon means that SpaceShip’s propulsion system is hydrodynamically and electrically optimally aligned. The sister companies share extensive technological expertise developed over many years of collaboration.