GO Quest

Although dependant on mission requirements, the SpaceX droneship will leave port up to 7 days ahead of launch day. GO Quest will then typically leave port up to 36 hours later and meet with the droneship at the mission landing zone a few days later.

The stern (rear) of GO Quest has 2 flights of stairs and a harness platform. SpaceX droneships are unmanned during the voyage to the landing zone and during landing attempts so the crew from GO Quest must transfer to and from the droneships. To do this, GO Quest backs its stern up to the droneship. Next, recovery teams connect themselves up with harnesses and then climb onto the droneship in a process dubbed ‘crew transfer’. For safety reasons, crew transfer does not occur at night or during rough seas.