The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced a Request for Information on Tuesday to explore launching commercial rockets and recovering spacecraft from the Outer Continental Shelf, which extends 200 nautical miles from American coastlines. BOEM said offshore launch infrastructure could expand operational capacity and strengthen national security space capabilities. The initiative follows a December 2025 White House Executive Order on space superiority aimed at boosting the American space industry through new facilities and policy reforms.
BOEM is soliciting ideas from private industry on adapting existing oil and gas platforms or building purpose-built offshore launch facilities across the 3.2 billion acres under its jurisdiction. Environmental advocates including the Center for Biological Diversity have already opposed the plan, arguing that space debris and rocket explosions already damage coastal wildlife refuges and that expanding offshore operations could harm marine life. The RFI closes August 7, 2026.