Hundreds of offshore oil rigs have neared the end of their lives, but they remain perched high above the surface of oceans while the wells beneath them have run dry. Now, the government has proposed a plan to repurpose the offshore rigs and use them to launch rockets to space. The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a notice on Tuesday, revealing that it was considering the use of the Outer Continental Shelf for offshore space activities. The request for information explores the potential use of existing infrastructure like oil and gas drilling platforms for launch, re-entry, and recovery of commercial rockets. The idea would help resolve a shortage of space launch pads that can barely keep up with an expanding industry, but it could have worrying effects on the ocean.
Out to sea The recent request for information is in line with the White House’s December 2025 executive order, titled “Ensuring American Space Superiority,” which is aimed at boosting investment and advancing policies in order for the private space industry to grow.
As such, BOEM suggests utilizing the approximately 3.2 billion acres under federal jurisdiction in the Outer Continental Shelf, a region that extends 200 nautical miles offshore from U.S. coastlines. “The Outer Continental Shelf presents a significant opportunity to support the future of America’s space economy,” Matt Giacona, acting director of BOEM, said in a statement. “Offshore launch, re-entry, and recovery infrastructure could expand operational flexibility, increase capacity, reduce constraints on growing launch demand, and strengthen the nation’s commercial and national security space capabilities.”
