MV Liberty Star

MV *Liberty Star*
History
United States
Name	MV Liberty Star
Owner	NASA
Operator	United Space Alliance
Builder	Atlantic Marine Shipyard, Fort George Island, Florida, U.S.
Christened	September 27, 1980
Acquired	October 1980
In service	January 1981
Out of service	September 14, 2012
Homeport	Port Canaveral, Florida, U.S.
Identification	Call sign: WRPH; IMO number: 7925302; MMSI number: 338990000;
Status	Transferred to Maritime Administration
History
United States
Name	TV Kings Pointer
Owner	U.S. Dept of Transportation
Operator	U.S. Maritime Administration
Acquired	September 14, 2012
Homeport	Kings Point, New York, U.S.
Status	In service
General characteristics
Tonnage	484 GT, 743 GRT; 239 NT, 222 NRT
Displacement	1,052 short tons (954 t)
Length	176 ft (53.6 m)
Beam	37 ft (11.3 m)
Height	72 ft (21.9 m)
Draft	12 ft (3.7 m)
Depth	15 ft (4.6 m)
Installed power	2 × 223 hp (166 kW) Kato generators
Propulsion	2 × 1,450 hp (1,080 kW) GM EMD 12-645E6A diesel engines, driving 2 propellers; 2 × 450 hp (340 kW) Detroit Diesel 8V71 engines, driving bow and stern thrusters;
Speed	15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Range	6,900 mi (11,100 km)
Endurance	30 days
Capacity	24 maximum
Complement	10 × crew; 9 × retrieval specialists; 1 × retrieval supervisor;
Notes	Towing capacity: 60,000 lb (27,200 kg)

MV Liberty Star is a formerly NASA-owned and United Space Alliance-operated vessel which primarily served as an SRB recovery ship following the launch of Space Shuttle missions. It also performed tugboat duties and acted as a research platform. In 2012, it was transferred to the U.S. Department of Transportation for use as a training vessel at the United States Merchant Marine Academy as the TV Kings Pointer. Her sister ship is the MV Freedom Star.

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History

United States
Name	MV Liberty Star
Owner	NASA
Operator	United Space Alliance^[1]
Builder	Atlantic Marine Shipyard, Fort George Island, Florida, U.S.^[1]
Christened	September 27, 1980^[2]
Acquired	October 1980^[2]
In service	January 1981^[3]
Out of service	September 14, 2012
Homeport	Port Canaveral, Florida, U.S.
Identification	Call sign: WRPH IMO number: 7925302 MMSI number: 338990000^[4]
Status	Transferred to Maritime Administration
History
United States
Name	TV Kings Pointer
Owner	U.S. Dept of Transportation
Operator	U.S. Maritime Administration
Acquired	September 14, 2012^[5]
Homeport	Kings Point, New York, U.S.^[5]
Status	In service
General characteristics
Tonnage	484 GT, 743 GRT; 239 NT, 222 NRT^[6]
Displacement	1,052 short tons (954 t)^[7]
Length	176 ft (53.6 m)^[7]
Beam	37 ft (11.3 m)^[7]
Height	72 ft (21.9 m)^[3]
Draft	12 ft (3.7 m)^[7]
Depth	15 ft (4.6 m)^[7]
Installed power	2 × 223 hp (166 kW) Kato generators^[7]
Propulsion	2 × 1,450 hp (1,080 kW) GM EMD 12-645E6A diesel engines, driving 2 propellers^[7] 2 × 450 hp (340 kW) Detroit Diesel 8V71 engines, driving bow and stern thrusters^[7]
Speed	15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)^[7]
Range	6,900 mi (11,100 km)^[7]
Endurance	30 days^[7]
Capacity	24 maximum^[1]
Complement	10 × crew 9 × retrieval specialists 1 × retrieval supervisor
Notes	Towing capacity: 60,000 lb (27,200 kg)^[7]