U.S. Air Force Seeks to Convert Offshore Oil Rigs Into Rocket Recovery Platforms

U.S. Air Force is examining the conversion of decommissioned offshore oil platforms into landing sites for reusable rocket boosters. U.S. Space Force and private spaceflight companies. The plan addresses two goals. It would reduce costs associated with recovering heavy-lift rockets for reuse and would give new purpose to oil platforms scheduled for removal.

An Air Force solicitation posted through the Small Business Innovation Research program states that the stations would form a distributed network of recovery sites. The network is intended to increase launch cadence, reduce sonic-boom exposure, and lower operational costs by using existing maritime infrastructure.

The platforms would serve as an alternative to recovery ships currently operated by companies such as SpaceX. The solicitation notes that the approach would reduce dependence on custom-built drone ships and support higher launch frequencies. Platforms would require reinforcement to withstand plume, vibration, and point-load forces from rockets including SpaceX’s Falcon 9, United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan, and Blue Origin’s New Glenn.

Additional features would include flame deflection, fire suppression systems, navigation aids, and systems to transfer boosters to transit vessels.

The first phase of the solicitation requires companies to assess technical and economic feasibility. Work would include structural load analysis, environmental impact assessments, and a regulatory roadmap for operations in federal waters. Companies would also be asked to identify at least three suitable offshore platforms.

Assessments must address sonic-boom effects on shipping and coastal populations as well as impacts on local ecosystems. The platforms must comply with the federal government’s Rigs to Reefs initiative, which converts decommissioned rigs into aquatic habitats.

A second phase would test modular reinforcement kits on representative deck sections using inert-mass drops or static-fire simulations. The solicitation highlights potential benefits for both government and commercial sectors. It states that repurposing legacy offshore assets would increase launch cadence while reducing acoustic and debris risks and would support Tactically Responsive Space capabilities in deep-sea or high-latitude environments.