Development of a Moon Pool Launch Recovery System (MLARS) for the USNS T-AGS-66 Maury Oceanographic Survey Vessel

摘要

T-AGS-66 is the latest US Navy survey vessel of the TAGS 60 Pathfinder class and is unique in that it is equipped with an 18 ft by 18 ft moon pool. The size of the moon pool was determined in a 2001 feasibility study to be adequate for launching Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). After construction of the ship was underway at VT Halter Marine in Moss Point MS, a requirement was identified to both launch and retrieve a Kongsberg / Hydroid AUV launch and recovery cage system that is 20 ft long by 5 ft wide and 5 feet tall. This paper describes the development of a Moon pool Launch & Recovery System (MLARS) that tilts the AUV cage so that the 20 ft length can pass through the 18 ft moon pool opening during the launch and recovery (L&R) evolution and return to level both on deck and in the water column. The MLARS must also act as a bridge crane for handling gear in the mission bay, and restrains the payload against ship motions during the launch and recovery evolution. The MLARS is a multi mission device that can also handle a variety of other types of gear including ROVs and certain types of moorings via a generic strongback interface. The design architecture provides for the addition of heave, pitch and possibly roll compensation at a later date by software updates.