New Maritime Space Launch Company Announces Formation
Seagate Space Corporation Focuses on Offshore Launch Operations
To address the increasing demand for launch facilities, a new company has been formed focused on the development of offshore launch platforms. Seagate Space Corporation, based in Jacksonville, FL, says it will bring maritime innovations that are both cost-effective and rapidly deployable to the industry.
"(T)oday's focus is on frequent, responsive, efficient access to space. Our systems will be built to enable this new breed of launch vehicles."
Sean Fortener, Seagate Space
By moving launches offshore, the company unlocks the vastness of the ocean as a solution to the barriers to launch from land-based locations – an undertaking they believe is paramount for delivering on the promises of the orbital age. "Seagate Space was founded on a vision to bring launch facilities into the 21st century," said Sean Fortener, co-founder of Seagate Space and formerly head of innovation at Crowley Maritime. "The modern space industry has evolved dramatically – today's focus is on frequent, responsive, efficient access to space. Our systems will be built to enable this new breed of launch vehicles."
Seagate Space's team is comprised of maritime insiders, all with diverse experiences and maverick tendencies. "We've compiled a group that thrives on bending – sometimes breaking – the many 'just because' rules that too often stand in the way of innovation," says Michael Anderson, Seagate Space's CEO and previously a leader within Deloitte's Future of Mobility consulting practice. "That's not a mindset that is always rewarded by longstanding industries, but you must challenge the status quo to fuse thinking and drive change across domains as Seagate Space intends to do."
Michael and Sean are joined by Charlie Nordstrom, a visionary in offshore maritime innovation (he previously led Google's X moonshot Makani floating wind project) with cross-sector experience. The company has also brought on Jim Maser, a 40-year aerospace veteran and former President of Sea Launch, as a senior advisor. Preliminary design and engineering, already underway as this announcement is made, will incorporate several novel maritime technologies to unlock launch performance that cannot be matched by existing platforms or vessels.
Seagate Space is currently in discussions with potential launch partners for a demonstration mission targeting early 2026.