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May 15, 2003
   
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.