Unexpected SpaceX Encounter

Just returned with my family two days ago from a Disney Cruise that left from Port Canaveral, Florida. On our way out of port, while hundreds of people on the upper deck were watching a typical hyperenthusiastic Disney musical presentation, I was the only one getting excited over some non-descript vessels passing by on our port side. Turns out the SpaceX recovery vessels were right next us! Go Navigator had recovered the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule after its inital mission to the ISS only three days previously. I snapped a number of photos before realizing that right behind it was Of Course I Still Love You, the battle-scarred veteran of multiple successful and unsuccessful Falcon 9 booster recovery efforts, including the booster used in the latest mission. It was odd to see such historic vessels go so totally unacknowledged by the large crowd passing by just yards away, but an unexpected pleasure for me, for sure!

Go Navigator and Go Searcher, the two SpaceX crew capsule recovery vessels:


Mr. Steven, the recovery vessel that accompanies Of Course I Still Love You on booster recovery missions since crew are not aboard OCISLY during landings:


And Of Course I Still Love You, the battle-scarred site of so many massive fireballs and successful booster landings. It struck me as a rather small target for such a large booster to land on, just as an aircraft carrier is a massive ship, but a tiny airport.




At each corner of OCISLY is a propulsor unit to help it keep position at sea.


I believe this is the robot that is supposed to aid in stabilizing Falcon 9 boosters after they land on Of Course I Still Love You. One of the blast shields at either end of the deck tilts upward to let it approach boosters after they land.


This is likely a dummy Dragon capsule used for practicing recovery operations at sea.

Great pictures. Thanks for posting.

Confirmed that is the robotic landing assist clampdown device named Optimus Prime. It securely fastens down boosters post landing to reduce the need for humans to transfer aboard OCISLY while out at sea, which is a potentially risky exercise.

That's pretty cool, good catch, and thanks for posting!

Talk about being able to hit a postage stamp!

+1 !!!

Cool.

All ex-oilfield boats. Spent many days at sea on a boat just like the Navigator.

The Mr. Steven is certainly an ex-oilfield crewboat, still in Tidewater colors.