SpaceX plans to build a new Starbase, Louisiana spaceport in Vermilion Parish as part of a proposed $100 billion investment. The 125,000-acre facility is designed to support thousands of Starship flights each year and expand the company's launch operations beyond its existing sites.
SpaceX plans to build a new Starship launch complex in southern Louisiana as part of a proposed investment of up to $100 billion, expanding the company's launch infrastructure as it seeks to increase the number of Starship flights it can conduct.
The planned facility, to be known as Starbase, Louisiana, will be located in Vermilion Parish and cover about 125,000 acres, according to SpaceX and Louisiana officials. The company announced the project on Tuesday at an event near the proposed site attended by Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and other state officials.
SpaceX said the facility is designed to support thousands of Starship flights a year. The planned complex would include infrastructure for propellant production, power generation, deep-water shipping, vehicle processing and an airport, according to the company.
The Louisiana site would become SpaceX's fourth spaceport, adding to the company's existing launch operations in South Texas, Florida and California. The expansion would provide additional infrastructure for the company's Starship program and increase its potential launch capacity.
Construction is expected to begin next year, according to Reuters, with the project intended to expand SpaceX's Starship operations beyond its existing South Texas facility.
The proposed development is also expected to create jobs and economic activity in the region. Governor Landry said the project would bring employment opportunities and support communities in Louisiana, while Musk has said the facility could create about 10,000 jobs.
The Louisiana project would give SpaceX another location from which to conduct Starship operations as the company seeks to scale its launch activities. The Starship program is central to SpaceX's broader plans for large-scale space transportation and future missions.
The planned facility's large footprint reflects the infrastructure requirements of SpaceX's proposed Starship operations. In addition to launch facilities, the company plans to develop supporting infrastructure for producing propellant, processing vehicles and handling transportation.
The announcement marks a significant expansion of SpaceX's physical launch infrastructure and strengthens Louisiana's position in the U.S. commercial space industry.
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