Liebherr cranes hoist SpaceX rocket components in Boca Chica, USA

Rocket assembly using LR 11000 featuring the latest configuration

An LR 11000 in the very latest configuration was erected in Boca Chica by Buckner for this prestigious project for the private American space travel company. The 1000 tonne crawler crane was erected with the main boom and the fixed F2 jib, which was specially released by Liebherr in 2019 for use in the US. With this configuration, the 1000 tonne Liebherr crane can hoist up to 253 tonnes at the jib head. This capacity was almost used to the full for erecting the rocket components. A successful high altitude test flight with the SN15 Starship prototype was reported by SpaceX on 5 May 2021, with the rocket successfully landing in the intended location after the test had been completed. 'These are impressive images for us to see, with our crawler cranes at the heart of private American space travel. And the statics and calculations for this job were also a real highlight for us, it is not every day that something like this arrives on our screens', says Jens Könneker, Product Manager Lattice Boom Cranes at Liebherr. 'We have had a close working relationship based on trust with Buckner for many years. The fact that we are the supplier of choice for a project like this is a sign of great appreciation and trust - and it was something very special for us', adds Florian Ritzler, Sales Manager Lattice Boom Cranes for the USA.