Inflatable bladder fairing recovery system with repositioning mechanisms and method

A fairing recovery system comprising:

• a fairing;
• one or more inflatable bags interconnected to the fairing, wherein when the fairing is interconnected to a launch vehicle the one or more inflatable bags is not inflated, wherein after the fairing separates from the launch vehicle the one or more inflatable bags are inflated with pressurized fluid, and wherein the one or more inflatable bags cause the fairing to float in water after impact;
• one or more deflating bags that are inflated after the fairing separates from the launch vehicle and that deflate upon impact with a water surface;
• and
• one or more floating bags that are inflated after the fairing impacts the water surface and remain inflated for a period of time following a time when the fairing impacts the water surface.

A method of recovering a fairing comprising:

• providing a fairing with an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein when the fairing is interconnected to a spacecraft, the inner surface faces toward the spacecraft and the outer surface faces away from the spacecraft;
• providing a plurality of inflatable bladders interconnected to at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface of the fairing, wherein when the fairing is interconnected to the spacecraft the plurality of inflatable bladders is not inflated;
• at least partially filling one or more inflatable bladders in the plurality of inflatable bladders with pressurized fluid after the fairing separates from the spacecraft, wherein the one or more inflatable bladders cover at least a portion of the fairing during re-entry;
• providing a second plurality of inflatable bladders interconnected to at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface of the fairing;
• deploying inflatable bladders in the second plurality of inflatable bladders in succession after the fairing impacts the water surface;
• and
• reorienting a position of the fairing relative to the water surface.