In brief
Elon Musk’s SpaceX announced a $100bn investment to build Starbase Louisiana, a 125,000-acre launch site aimed at supporting thousands of Starship flights to Earth orbit, the Moon and Mars. Construction is slated to begin next year, with the first Starship launch expected by 2029. The project will generate over 3,000 direct jobs and boost regional wages by 192%, while indirectly creating 8,100 additional positions. SpaceX’s expansion follows its historic Nasdaq debut and coincides with plans to build a $16.8bn AI chip facility in Texas.
Multi‑billionaire Elon Musk’s rocket company announced plans to construct its largest launch site yet in the southern U.S. state of Louisiana, marking a significant expansion beyond its Texas headquarters and Florida launch operations.
Construction of the $100bn or £73bn facility—named Starbase, Louisiana—should start next year. The sprawling 125,000‑acre site is designed to enable thousands of Starship launches each year to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond, according to SpaceX officials.
The first Starship flight from this new base is projected for 2029. Meanwhile, the Louisiana Economic Development agency estimates the average wage at Starbase will exceed regional averages by 192%, adding more than 3,000 direct jobs and indirectly creating roughly 8,100 additional positions.
SpaceX’s announcement follows its historic Nasdaq debut, where the company’s shares began trading as the world’s biggest tech IPO. Musk has also outlined broader ambitions, including a $16.8bn Texas‑based AI chip manufacturing plant—now dubbed the Terafab—to meet growing demand for computational power across its ventures.
The new Louisiana site will share its name with the existing Starbase on Texas’ southern tip, underscoring the company’s vision to cement a global aerospace hub that can dramatically increase launch frequency. In 2025, local residents in Cameron County, where SpaceX already operates test facilities, approved the creation of a city called Starbase, reflecting community support for the massive project.
Learn more about the Starbase Louisiana site (external link)
