Bristol Harbor Group to design rocket-carrying RO/RO barge

Written by Nick Blenkey
Rocket-carrying RO/RO barge

United Launch Alliance will use the rocket-carrying RO/RO barge to transport its Vulcan Centaur rockets.

Bristol, R.I., based naval architect firm Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. (BHGI) was recently selected by United Launch Alliance (ULA) to design a river and ocean-going manned roll-on/roll-off barge for the transportation of its Vulcan Centaur rockets. The rocket-carrying RO/RO barge will be manned by an operations and cargo monitoring crew.

In support of ULA’s competitive solicitation for ship fabrication this summer, BHGI will also aid in the bidding process for prospective shipyards, including answering any bidder questions, reviewing shipyard proposals and providing construction oversight.

BHGI comes to the project team with the unique experience gained from design work on NASA’s Pegasus barge, originally built in 1999 to transport space shuttle external tanks, then later converted to transport core components for NASA’s next-generation Space Launch System (SLS).

BHGI specializes in commercial vessel design and consulting and has experience with tugs, barges, articulated tug/barge units (ATBs), passenger vessels, workboats, dredges and floating dry docks — and now rocket-carrying RO/RO barge.

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