In brief
SpaceX is set to build a $100 bn launch facility in Louisiana, expanding beyond its Texas and Florida sites. The 125,000‑acre Starbase Louisiana aims to support thousands of Starship flights toward Earth orbit, the Moon and Mars, and is expected to add over 3,000 direct jobs and 8,100 indirect roles. The project positions Louisiana as a global aerospace hub and reflects Musk’s broader ambitions including Mars colonisation, AI chip manufacturing and space‑based data centres. Investors remain cautious after a 30 % drop in SpaceX shares post‑IPO, though the company still trades above its initial offer price.
Multi‑billionaire Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX has announced that it will build its largest launch site yet in Louisiana.
The $100 bn (£73 bn) Starbase Louisiana project will cover 125,000 acres (50,585 hectares) and will expand the company’s operations beyond its first Texas headquarters and Florida sites.
The complex will support thousands of Starship flights a year, with missions targeting Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond, according to SpaceX.
In June, SpaceX shares began trading on New York’s Nasdaq in the world’s biggest ever tech‑focused stock market debut.
SpaceX aims to launch its first Starship flight from the Louisiana base in 2029.
The facility will create more than 3,000 direct jobs, with the average wage projected to be 192% higher than the current average salary in the region. It would also generate over 8,100 indirect jobs, estimates the Louisiana Economic Development agency.
The agency said the project would establish Louisiana as a global hub for next‑generation aerospace, increasing launch frequency and expanding access to space.
The new facility will share its name with SpaceX’s existing site on the southern tip of Texas.
In 2025, residents in Cameron County—where SpaceX now has testing and development operations—approved incorporating the parcel as a city called Starbase.
Musk’s broader ambitions include reaching Mars, building AI models and launching data centres into space. In August, SpaceX and Tesla announced a $16.8 bn AI‑chip plant in Texas, the Terafab, intended to meet growing computing demand for their projects.
The newly‑listed SpaceX faces investor pressure to show profitability amid expansion, with shares falling more than 30% from their peak shortly after debut, though still above their initial offer price.
