A Shortfall of Gravitas (ASOG) is a SpaceX autonomous spaceport droneship (ASDS), operating out of Port Canaveral, Florida. The droneship is based upon barge Marmac 302.
A Shortfall of Gravitas had been teased by SpaceX boss Elon Musk frequently since it was first announced in 2018. A further update by Elon suggested that the droneship would enter service in 2019 but no further updates were provided and this did not happen.
Musk once again mentioned the droneship in October 2020, fueling rumours that the project had been restarted. A brand new Octagrabber robot was spotted in March 2021 at SpaceX Cidco Road facility. SpaceXFleet.com was able to first locate Marmac 302’s position at Bollinger Shipyard in May 2021 and photographers were able to confirm that the droneship was under construction.
Elon Musk officially showcased the droneship on July 9th, 2021 with a short clip of ASOG running autonomously during a sea trial. A Shortfall of Gravitas arrived at its Florida home port on July 15th, 2021.
A Shortfall of Gravitas first mission was CRS-23 on August 29th, which concluded with a successful landing of B1061, close to dead-centre.
Autonomous SpaceX droneship,
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 9, 2021
A Shortfall of Gravitas pic.twitter.com/hNZ5U7nxUg
