Abstract: Method and apparatus for launching at sea a rocket with a satellite or military weapon payload. At a staging point where trusses, rockets and other requirements are located, two ships are aligned side by side and interconnected with the trusses rigidly connecting and holding the ships a predetermined distance apart to form a rocket launcher. A pivotable cradle on a truss connecting the ships' mid-sections is used for supporting a rocket above the sea. Exhaust gases from the rocket at time of launch are directed downward onto the sea, and the cradle is rotatable for directing the launch of the rocket at various angles. Cooling sprayers provide protection of the structure from excessive heat occurring at blast-off by pumping sea water onto the structure. Support apparatus includes cranes for transport of the rockets and recovery of launch material from the sea.

Abstract: An icebreaker ship has a V-shaped bow and an S-shaped stem line with a wedge extending from the bottom of the stem line below the design waterline of the ship towards the sides until maximum width is reached. The wedge is incorporated into the hull by means of a knuckle between the top of the wedge and the hull envelope of the ship. Upon breaking of the ice by the bow, the cusps of ice move downwardly into the water along the sides of the bow until the wedge is contacted. The cusps of ice are tripped and moved away from the ship's sides and under the unbroken ice, thus protecting the propellers and leaving a clearer channel behind the icebreaker.