Use of US Outer Continental Shelf for Space Launches and Re-entry

planned

The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is exploring the possibility of using the oil-laden Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) for space launching and re-entry activities. BOEM has launched a 30-day comment period to gather technical, environmental, and operational information from industry stakeholders and researchers on this potential use. The OCS includes about 3.2 billion acres under federal jurisdiction, mainly in the US Gulf, Atlantic, Pacific, and Alaskan coasts. The initiative aims to expand operational flexibility, increase capacity, and strengthen the US space industry's commercial and national security capabilities.