In the heart of St. Petersburg, a new breed of innovators is taking shape at spARK Labs by ARK Invest, an incubator that’s become a hotbed for startups pushing the boundaries of technology. Among them is Seagate Space, a company that’s setting its sights on the stars—literally. Their latest venture? An offshore semi-submersible launch platform for rockets, dubbed the Gateway-S. This isn’t just another tech project; it’s a bold step toward revolutionizing how we think about space launches.
Seagate Space’s Gateway-S platform recently received approval in principle (AIP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), a significant milestone in the company’s journey. Michael Anderson, co-founder and CEO of Seagate Space, sees this as a critical validation of their design. “We have developed the first asset to be approved in principle under ABS’s new offshore spaceport guidelines,” Anderson explained. “It validates the design pathways that we have been propagating. It shows that there is an opportunity to bring innovation from a maritime side into supporting the aerospace industry.”
The Gateway-S is no ordinary platform. It’s an independent structure designed for open water, capable of handling launches and recovery operations. What’s more, it can be disassembled into container-sized modules for easy transportation. This flexibility and innovative design are what set it apart. However, full approval is still pending. According to ABS, the AIP is granted during the early conceptual design phase to help demonstrate project feasibility to partners and regulatory bodies.
“Safety and precision are critical to the success of offshore space launch operations,” said Miguel Hernandez, ABS senior vice president of global offshore. “This AIP reflects both ABS’ and Seagate Space’s commitment to advancing innovative technologies that enable reliable and efficient launch operations in a fast-evolving sector.”
Seagate Space, founded in early 2025, has faced its share of challenges. Designing a platform capable of withstanding the immense forces generated by rocket launches is no small feat. “The use case and operation we’re building for is really unique and intense in some ways,” Anderson noted. “Rockets don’t weigh that much but they create a lot of force obviously. So, we had to start from a clean sheet of paper effectively.” The goal was to create something stable and secure, and working at spARK Labs by ARK Invest has been instrumental in this process. “The organization is not really sector focused. Its focus is on big ideas and trying to do things that are new and novel,” Anderson said. “That fits really well with us.”
The proximity of the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub, managed by the St. Petersburg Innovation District, has also played a crucial role. This has led to the formation of a vertical in the area, with the Tampa Bay region potentially becoming a staging location for Gulf launches. Seagate Space has a rocket manufacturer partner interested in exploring a Gulf-based launch, further underscoring the region’s growing importance in the aerospace industry.
Anderson believes that China is currently ahead in sea-based platform development, having completed five maritime launches between 2023 and 2025. “China is scaling this capability,” he explained. “We, as a country, have not successfully developed it for the modern age and the rockets that are flying currently.” This gap presents an opportunity for Seagate Space to lead the charge domestically.
Looking ahead, Anderson hopes to have the first demonstration launch for Gateway-S in 2027. This is more than just a company’s ambition; it’s a testament to the power of innovation and collaboration. As Seagate Space continues to push the envelope, it’s clear that the future of space launches is not just in the stars, but also on the open seas.