USS Canopus ( AS - 34 ) USS " Canopus " ( AS - 34 ) was a " Simon Lake " - class submarine tender of the United States Navy , operational from 1965 to 1994 . Construction . " Canopus " s keel was laid on 2 March 1964 and she was launched on 12 February 1965 , at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation in Pascagoula , Mississippi . " Canopus " was completed and delivered to the Navy in record breaking time on 25 October 1965 . " Canopus " joined Submarine Squadron 18 at Charleston and was commissioned on 4 November 1965 . After a short outfitting period , " Canopus " sailed for the Caribbean on 7 January 1966 . " Canopus " visited Guantánamo Bay , Cuba , for shakedown training . She returned to Charleston Naval Shipyard on 24 February for the usual post - shakedown work . In mid - April 1966 , " Canopus " completed her acceptance trials and upon final loading and outfitting deployed to the Cooper River FBM Replenishment Site on 24 June . " Canopus " started refitting submarines of Squadron 18 . Service history . 1960s . On 24 September 1966 , " Canopus " deployed from Charleston , South Carolina , arriving in Rota , Spain , on 10 October . " Canopus " relieved and reported to the Commander of Submarine Squadron 16 for duty . While at Rota , " Canopus " accomplished more Polaris refits than any other submarine tender in a comparable amount of time . On 20 April 1969 , " Canopus " was relieved by " Holland " and sailed for Bremerton , Washington , via the Panama Canal . In Bremerton , " Canopus " was extensively overhauled and thereby gained the title of the first submarine tender in the United States Navy capable of refitting and maintaining a submarine with the Poseidon Missile System . 1970s . After completion of this overhaul , " Canopus " sailed for Holy Loch , Scotland , via the Panama Canal . In May 1970 , she relieved the at Holy Loch . She reported to the Commander of Submarine Squadron 14 . On 29 November 1970 , a fire broke out in the CPO baggage room , killing three and injuring ten . The fatalities ( all from smoke inhalation ) were two prisoners , and the guard who had freed them from the brig . " Canopus " remained in Holy Loch until November 1975 . During this time , " Canopus " was instrumental in establishing several new maintenance concepts while completing , on schedule , every submarine refit during the 67 months at Holy Loch . During the last year at Holy Loch , " Canopus " received numerous awards including the Ney Award for the best large mess afloat , the second consecutive Battle Efficiency " E " , the CINCLANTFLT Golden Anchor Award for personnel retention , and the Navy Unit Commendation for her role in the first FBM Submarine Extended Refit Period . In 1976 , " Canopus " underwent an extensive refit at Charleston Naval Shipyard and returned to Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , for refresher training . " Canopus " returned to Rota , Spain , in December 1976 . As a result of the shipyard overhaul in Charleston , " Canopus " brought new and improved capabilities to Rota for the support of Submarine Squadron 16 . In June 1979 , " Canopus " relieved " Simon Lake " at the Naval Weapons Station Charleston , South Carolina . " Canopus " now reported to the Commander of Squadron 18 . 1980s . In January 1980 , " Canopus " got underway and went off the coast to conduct drills . In March 1980 , " Canopus " got underway and made a liberty cruise to Cape Canaveral , Florida . In 1984 after being relieved by " Holland " , " Canopus " underwent an overhaul at Charleston Naval Shipyard - which lasted until 1985 . Refresher training and shake - down was conducted out of Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . After a short stay at Charleston , " Canopus " sailed in July 1985 to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay , Georgia , where she relieved " Simon Lake " - assuming upkeep and refit duties for the SSBNs of Subron 16 . Decommissioning . " Canopus " was located at Kings Bay during the early 1990s . During a ceremony held at the Warrior Wharf there on Friday , 7 October 1994 , " Canopus " 29 years of service was celebrated ; and she was decommissioned from active service . Plans to scrap the vessel in the United Kingdom ran into controversy in view of the risks posed by toxic chemicals and asbestos . In 2010 , scrapping of the " Canopus " was completed at Able UK .