Linde provides input on the Request for Information regarding offshore space launch and re-entry activities. They recommend that BOEM consider the specific infrastructure, safety, and logistical requirements for handling cryogenic and non-cryogenic gases in a marine environment.

Dr. Ram Seetharam, representing the ROICE Program Collaborative at the University of Houston, supports the exploration of repurposing offshore oil and gas infrastructure for space launch and reentry. The commenter provides technical, regulatory, and commercial frameworks to assist BOEM in evaluating feasibility, identifying suitable platforms, and addressing decommissioning liabilities.

The Virginia Spaceport Authority (VSA) supports the development of a framework for offshore space launch and re-entry activities, advocating for a performance-based, technology-neutral regulatory approach. They emphasize the need for integrated coordination between federal and state agencies, Marine Spatial Planning, and liability protections similar to those provided for land-based operations.

The Spaceport Company (TSC), a small aerospace business, supports the potential use of the Outer Continental Shelf for offshore space launch and re-entry activities. They argue that offshore infrastructure offers lower environmental impacts, enhanced national security, and new economic opportunities for coastal communities compared to existing onshore sites.

The Virginia Maritime Association (VMA) supports the potential use of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) for commercial space activities, provided they do not impair maritime navigation safety. They request that BOEM treat established shipping fairways as exclusionary factors and require navigation safety assessments that account for the larger dynamic safety zones of launch and re-entry operations.

Captain Jason Vogelsong, a commercial fisherman, expresses concern over the economic impact of offshore space launch activities on the rock shrimp fishing industry. He argues that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) should establish a compensation mechanism for fishermen who lose catch time and incur fuel costs due to mandatory evacuations.

The commenter argues that the Secretary of the Interior lacks the statutory authority under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to grant leases or rights-of-way for commercial space launch and reentry activities. They contend that the Act's authority is limited to energy-related or other authorized marine-related purposes.