The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) performed it's 100,000th catapult launch on April 30th. The carrier entered service in 1986, and has averaged some 500 aircraft take offs a month. In practical terms, the average is closer to 900 a month (about 30 a day) when deployed, because the carrier spends nearly half it's time in port or going through periodic overhauls. During intense combat operations, there can be nearly a hundred catapult launches a day. The carrier has four steam powered catapults.