Mother ship

As a mother ship is referred to in general maritime, space and also airships, which have the special property of being able to lead a smaller transport for the same or even ( rarely) other species with them.

Mother ships in the shipping

At sea, the term is usually used to designate larger ships, where an important part of the primary tasks of the ship is covered by smaller boats ( dinghies ) (formerly example, whaling boats, today, for example the small maneuverable boats daughter of Seenotkreuzern ). According to the principle of the whaling mother ships operate the factory ships. Most Mothership Tochterboot combinations in shipping is based on a continuous dependence of the smaller boats from the mother ship.

Seaplane carriers such as HMS Ark Royal and the SMH Santa Elena served as a carrier for seaplanes that used their aircraft to start with the help of a crane on the water, or launched from a catapult, and took up again after their water landing from the onboard crane. Ships such as the Swabia were used in the 1930s by Lufthansa.

To support and supply of smaller warships ( submarines, speed boats, minesweepers ) and as barges for their crews so-called escort ships were of the German Navy used that had the functions of mother ships: submarine tender ship, speed boat escort ship, Räumbootbegleitschiff.

Mother ships in space

On space launch vehicle of a spaceship is meant by the mother ship in most cases, which separates in the course of the flight of the payload. In the American Apollo moon landing project, the term referred also to the service module was jettisoned before reentry into the Earth's atmosphere.

Mother ships in aviation

In most cases, the term mother ship in aviation on air ships flying other aircraft ( primarily aircraft, rare balloons and other airships ) with itself. The USS Akron and USS Macon were rigid airship aircraft carrier. The launch weather balloons from an airship occurred during the Aero Arctic Expedition of LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin. The balloons were launched down. They were loaded with an additional weight that came off after a few seconds.

Apply the concept to aircraft is unusual, although here just the same principle underlies in piggyback pairings such as the Boeing B -52 and X-15, Sweno or mistletoe.