Bob is a SpaceX dual-purpose support vessel based at Port Canaveral, Florida. Alongside its identical twin ship, Doug, both vessels are designed for both fairing and booster recovery operations. Bob is named after Bob Behnken, one of the first two NASA astronauts to fly on SpaceX’s Dragon capsule during the Demo-2 mission.

Bob was converted from a former platform supply ship – a type of mini cargo ship designed to serve offshore platforms – between May and August 2021 in Louisiana. Construction was nearing completion when Hurricane Ida struck Port Fourchon on August 29th, 2021, where Bob was docked. The ship withstood sustained winds of 155 mph, with visual damage seemingly limited to several damaged antennas. Bob subsequently sailed to Tampa for repairs, ultimately arriving at Port Canaveral for service in October 2021.

Bob is equipped with a winch, enabling it to tow SpaceX droneships. The vessel is also capable of recovering and storing up to four Falcon fairing halves on deck using a large crane. Additionally, a fast boat (either Maverick or Goose) can be deployed from the vessel to support recovery operations. Communication with SpaceX mission control and other assets is facilitated by multiple Starlink dishes and other robust communication systems.