Engineering:GO Navigator
 The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley inside, is seen aboard SpaceX’s GO Navigator recovery ship shortly after splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, on Aug. 2, 2020.
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| History | |
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 United States
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| Name: |
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| Owner: | Guice Offshore |
| Operator: | Guice Offshore |
| Builder: | Master Boat Builders, Coden, Alabama |
| Launched: | 2009 |
| Completed: | 2010 |
| In service: | 2010 |
| Identification: |
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| Status: | In service |
| Notes: | [1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: |
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| Length: | 49.85 m (163 ft 7 in) |
| Beam: | 10.98 m (36 ft 0 in) |
| Draught: | 3 m (9 ft 10 in) |
| Depth: | 3.6576 m (12 ft 0 in) |
| Decks: | 1 |
| Installed power: | 1,750 HP |
| Propulsion: | 2 x CAT 3508B Industrial Diesel Engines |
| Speed: | 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) |
| Capacity: | 20 |
| Crew: | 6 |
| Notes: | [1] |
GO Navigator is an offshore supply ship owned and operated by Guice Offshore, and currently deployed as one of the SpaceX Dragon/Dragon 2 recovery vessels[2] along with GO Searcher.[3] Both the vessels are identical and equipped with a medical treatment facility, helipad, lifting frame etc.[4]
The vessel played a key role in the recovery operation of SpaceX's first crewed mission - Crew Dragon Demo-2.[5][6][7][8]
History
GO Navigator's services were procured by SpaceX as a quick transport vessel, as a back-up to GO Searcher in the event of any technical failures.
In 2018-2019, the vessel and its crew were deployed for several hours of training to prepare for the recovery of the Dragon 2 capsules and their astronauts. The vessel executed the recovery operations during Crew Dragon Demo-1 and Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test.
However, between April and May 2019, GO Navigator was temporarily re-assigned to fairing recovery operations for the ArabSat-6A, Starlink 0.9, STP-2, and Amos-17 missions.
GO stands for Guice Offshore, the owner and operator of these type of vessels.[9]
List of recovery missions
| Date | Mission | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 March 2019 | Crew Dragon Demo-1 | Crew Dragon recovery support | Catching |
| 11 April 2019 | ArabSat-6A | Fairing recovery | Non-Catching |
| 24 May 2019 | Starlink | Fairing recovery | Non-Catching |
| 25 June 2019 | STP-2 | Fairing recovery | Non-Catching |
| 6 August 2019 | Amos-17 | Fairing recovery | Non-Catching |
| 11 November 2019 | Starlink-2 | Fairing recovery | Non-Catching |
| 19 January 2020 | Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test | Crew Dragon recovery support | Catching |
| 2 August 2020 | Crew Dragon Demo-2 | Crew Dragon recovery support | Catching |
| 11 March 2021 | Starlink 20 | Fairing recovery | Non-Catching |
| 14 March 2021 | Starlink 21 | Fairing recovery | Non-Catching |
| 2 May 2021 | Crew Dragon Crew-1 | Crew Dragon recovery support | Catching |
| 26 May 2021 | Starlink 28 | Fairing recovery | Non-Catching |
| 6 June 2021 | SXM-8 | Fairing recovery | Non-Catching |
Mission Overview
Demo-2
For the Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission, the GO Navigator had a broken backup generator; however it still completed its mission and recovered the Endeavour capsule from the sea. The recovery was impeded by private boats which circled the capsule in the water.
GO Navigator in the dock showing capsule "nest" and retractable arch recovery device.
NASA Chief Astronaut Patrick G. Forrester, left, and NASA astronaut and Crew Recovery Chief Shane Kimbrough.
GO Navigator deploying a fast boat off the rear of the boat.
GO Navigator approaches the capsule.
Crew Dragon Endeavour being hoisted onto aft of GO Navigator vessel.
Robert Behnken, left, and Douglas Hurley are seen inside Endeavour onboard GO Navigator being greeted by a crew member.
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Advanced Masterdata for the Vessel Go Navigator". VesselTracker. 2010. https://www.vesseltracker.com/en/Ships/Go-Navigator-9566887.html.
- ↑ "GO Navigator" (in en). https://www.spacexfleet.com/go-navigator.
- ↑ "GO Searcher" (in en). https://www.spacexfleet.com/go-searcher.
- ↑ "Crew Dragon Recovery" (in en). https://www.spacexfleet.com/dragon-recovery.
- ↑ "SpaceX Crew Dragon: everything you need to know about the Demo-2 space launch" (in en). https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/spacex-crew-dragon-demo-2-space-launch/.
- ↑ Sheetz, Michael (2020-05-26). "Everything you need to know about SpaceX's historic Demo-2 launch, its first with NASA astronauts" (in en). https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/26/spacex-demo-2-nasa-astronaut-launch-everything-you-need-to-know.html.
- ↑ "Launch America - a partnership between NASA and private space companies – will help open the space above Earth to people besides government astronauts.". https://www.nasa.gov/specials/dm2/index.html.
- ↑ "Explained: Why Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission is important, and how it will take place" (in en). 2020-05-31. https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-why-crew-dragon-demo-2-mission-nasa-spacex-is-important-and-how-it-will-take-place-6434723/.
- ↑ Ralph, Eric (2018-11-05). "NASA shows off SpaceX's upgraded Crew Dragon recovery vessel, tests helipad" (in en-US). https://www.teslarati.com/nasa-spacex-upgraded-crew-dragon-recovery-vessel-helipad-testing/.
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