when it is activated for a launch or testing. Unlike the eastern and western government ranges, Coast Guard on-water asset support is limited in South Texas, as resources and staffing are allocated for statu- tory missions. Duration, location, and shortage of other government resources and authorities create a challenge for government support of commercial ranges. This model differs from the one developed under the NASA umbrella during the space program’s birth in the 1950s in that the government no longer supports just governmen- tal launches. Now it must delineate between supporting governmental, private, and commercial launches. A new approach to commercial ranges, one that allows vessels and rockets to comingle over the high seas, is necessary to provide public safety. The model may differ slightly from that of the traditional national ranges, but it does provide an equivalent level of safety, an assurance supported through FAA regulations. Commercial space operators conduct a thorough operational risk analysis and tie in real time data to assess the range. Education and maritime understanding of the hazards are key fac- tors in facilitating a cooperative environment between marine and space. As the commercial space industry demonstrates success and decreases operational risk, Coast Guard supports egress training for the Apollo 9 crew. Photo courtesy of NASA of national ranges, facilities, equipment, tooling, and services on a reimbursable basis. 8 Use of these ranges requires the commercial space industry to follow all rules and regulations governing the ranges. Today, the U.S. Coast Guard continues to support space launches in the eastern and western ranges under agreements with U.S. Space Force. Commercial ranges however, are regulated by the CST and entirely monitored and managed by commer- cial entities. Commercial space operators perform the function of range monitoring through deployment of commercial technology. While not prescriptive in regula- tions, operators depend on inputs from shipboard auto- matic identification systems, radar, visual observations, and other maritime technologies. The ultimate goal of monitoring is to detect vessel intrusions on the launch range. Range management is a multifaceted approach aimed at reducing incursions into the area. Commercial space operators are governed by set risk tolerances established by the FAA, which, in the end, influences the ability to launch. On the waterways, vessel type and density, num- ber of persons on board, and location are main drivers in calculating risk scores for a particular launch. Real time risk calculations determine go/no-go decisions for launches. To a large degree, commercial space operators must rely on industry and public partnerships to achieve shared use of our waterways. This includes coordinating with local port harbor masters; marine industry stake- holders; vessel operators; state, county, and local offi- cials; and the recreational boating public before planned launches. The Coast Guard aids in facilitating these dis- cussions through established harbor safety committees or with other stakeholders who have knowledge of the waterway. Early, effective outreach can reduce intrusion into the range and decreases overall risk. Commercial space operators employ a host of other methods to manage the range. On the landside, they can partner with the county for local road and beach closures to safeguard the public. Additionally, local law enforce- ment and contracted third-party resources can be used to inform the public of the hazard area during launches. The Way Ahead As part of the FAA licensing process, commercial space operators enter into agreements with the Coast Guard to publish Notice to Mariners alerts. These alert the marine community of the hazardous area boundaries and sched- uled launch windows. Captains of the Port disseminate the information through marine safety information bulletins, VHF radio broadcasts to mariners, or other appropriate means. The notices provide the maritime community information necessary to avoid the range 40 Proceedings Summer 2023