GO Beyond

SpaceX

GO Beyond at the Port of Long Beach – Jack Beyer/NSF

GO Beyond is a chartered SpaceX dual-purpose support vessel based at the Port of Long Beach, California. The vessel is designed for both fairing and droneship support operations. GO Beyond superseded the long-term SpaceX support ships GO Quest and NRC Quest in 2023 as part of a consolidation of recovery vessels in California.

The vessel is equipped with a large A-frame (a type of lifting gear that SpaceX also uses for Dragon recovery operations) on the stern to haul fairing halves from the water upon splashdown. It is known to be able to carry at least one complete Falcon 9 fairing. On the port quarter, a crew transfer swing is installed, allowing recovery teams to board SpaceX droneships while at sea. A container on deck houses equipment used to support recovery operations.

A recovered fairing half is lifted off GO Beyond – Jack Beyer/NSF

Before its role with SpaceX, the vessel was named “GO Crusader.” The vessel took its current name, likely a mashup between the owner “Guice Offshore” (GO) and the popular catchphrase “To Infinity and Beyond,” upon its amalgamation with the SpaceX fleet.

GO Beyond was featured in a viral video in 2024 of a Mexican fisherman coming across a Falcon 9 fairing half as it landed in the Pacific Ocean. The vessel can be seen at the end of the clip moving in to recover.

Apparent footage of a fishing boat coming across a Falcon 9 fairing as it landed off Baja California.

Can see the SpaceX recovery ship GO Beyond approaching at the end. https://t.co/DtP3X6q8fz
— Gav Cornwell (@SpaceOffshore) April 13, 2024

Last Known Location

Track the last known AIS position received from GO Beyond. When the ship is far offshore, this service will not update regularly. Follow @SpaceOffshore across social media for updates!