ABS Approves Seagate Space’s Modular Offshore Launch Platform
ABS has granted approval in principle (AiP) to Seagate Space for their unmanned semi-submersible launch platform – the first offshore asset to receive AiP under the newly published ABS Requirements for Offshore Spaceports.
The platform, designed specifically for remote offshore launch operations and referred to as the Gateway-S, introduces a new category of modular offshore spaceport infrastructure. Gateway-S can be configured for both launch and recovery as well as disassembled into container-sized modules for transportation by sea, truck or rail, allowing for multi-site deployments.
Other key features of the design include its semi-submersible hull form, which reduces wave-induced motion, and deck arrangement which can facilitate various mission- specific equipment.
Offshore recovery missions have skyrocketed over the past decade, soaring from just two in 2015 to over a hundred in 2024. Specialized barges and offshore support vessels enable this rapid growth, serving as a key theatre for an array of offshore operations in support of the expanding commercial space industry.
Offshore spaceports enable more convenient and efficient launch operations by moving operations to sea, reducing public impact while relieving pressure on shore-based spaceport infrastructure.
The platform was approved in principle with applicable standards in ABS Requirements for Offshore Spaceports and ABS Rules for Building and Classing Offshore Units (Offshore Rules). An intermediate approval step, AIPs assist in demonstrating project feasibility of novel concepts to project partners and regulatory bodies.
