Bob is one of SpaceX's two multi-purpose recovery ships, performing dual roles: retrieving payload fairings from the ocean surface after launch and providing towing support for autonomous drone ships.
| Operator | SpaceX |
| Type | Multi-Purpose Recovery Ship |
| Status | ● Active |
| Home Port | Port Canaveral, Florida |
| Coast | East Coast (Atlantic) |
| Length | 80m (262ft) |
| Beam | 20m (66ft) |
| Built / Acquired | 2021 |
| Name Origin | Named after NASA astronaut Bob Behnken — commander of the historic Demo-2 mission, the first crewed SpaceX Crew Dragon flight in May 2020 |
| Associated Vehicles | Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy |
Each Falcon 9 payload fairing consists of two halves, each valued at approximately $3 million. After separation during ascent, the fairing halves deploy parafoils and splash down in the ocean. Bob uses its deck crane to lift fairing halves from the water for refurbishment and reuse.
Bob also carries a heavy-duty winch capable of towing SpaceX's drone ships — A Shortfall of Gravitas and Just Read the Instructions — to and from landing zones when the ships cannot operate autonomously. This dual capability reduced the number of support vessels SpaceX needs per mission.
The vessel is named after NASA astronaut Bob Behnken, who alongside Doug Hurley flew the Demo-2 mission in May 2020 — the first crewed flight of SpaceX Crew Dragon.