MEGAN

MV Megan, formerly known as MV GO Searcher, was one of SpaceX's two Dragon capsule recovery vessels; it was retired in 2025. Owned by SpaceX through Falcon Landing LLC (which also owns SpaceX's fairing recovery vessels and Elon Musk's private jet), this ship and its sister vessel, MV Shannon, were converted platform supply vessels equipped to retrieve Crew Dragon and Cargo Dragon capsules after splashdown. When a Dragon capsule was preparing to return to Earth, Megan or Shannon were dispatched to wait near the predetermined landing zone. After splashdown, fast boats deployed from the vessel, approach the capsule to perform safety checks, check on the crew, and prepare it to be lifted aboard the recovery vessel, where the astronauts can exit the capsule. NASA required SpaceX to allow the astronauts to exit within 60 minutes of splashdown. To support these operations, the vessel was fitted with a specialized crane on the stern to lift the capsule from the water, a medical facility to treat astronauts, and a helipad for rapid transport of astronauts and time-sensitive returned cargo to shore.

Signals are a current-state view: a flag clears once the vessel stops tripping its detector. These are screening indicators, not a substitute for your own due diligence.