Offshore Launch Capability Demonstrated by The Spaceport Company
The first offshore launch from US territorial waters was completed on May 22nd, 2023, in the Gulf of Mexico and within the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS) by The Spaceport Company and Evolution Space.
"The success of this launch demonstrates The Spaceport Company's ability to rapidly develop and deploy a solution to alleviate today's congested spaceport market."
Tom Marotta, The Spaceport Company.
Evolution Space was the propulsion provider for the first ever commercial offshore rocket launch from U.S. territorial waters. Just a month after Evolution Space completed their own historic first space mission, Gold Chain Cowboy, the successful offshore launch serves as the prototype validation for The Spaceport Company's proprietary mobile floating spaceport. All the procedures necessary to conduct an offshore orbital-class launch were successfully tested and multiple sub-scale test rockets were launched in one day from the mobile floating spaceport. By operating within U.S. territorial waters, the offshore mobile spaceport model is well positioned to offer a higher launch capacity with less public risk and fewer environmental impacts than comparative land-based launch sites.
"The success of this launch demonstrates The Spaceport Company's ability to rapidly develop and deploy a solution to alleviate today's congested spaceport market," said Tom Marotta, CEO and Founder of The Spaceport Company. "We're thankful for the partnerships that made this demonstration happen, and we've got great plans for what comes next."
Offshore Launch Validates Company Vision
The Spaceport Company's vision to create a new model for spaceports aligns perfectly with Evolution Space's pursuit of being a catalyst for aerospace innovation and technology development. The mission also serves to demonstrate the growing agility and collaboration between new space industry leaders, as seen in this offshore launch with The Spaceport Company, their regulatory and marine partnerships, Evolution Space as the propulsion provider and airframes developed by an independent third-party contractor.
"We're proud and grateful to be involved in what The Spaceport Company is doing." said Steve Heller, CEO and Founder of Evolution Space. "Making this type of new space innovation and technology testing possible is a core part of our mission at Evolution Space."
(Source: Evolution Space news release. Images provided)