SpaceX announces plans for $100 billion 'spaceport' in Louisiana

Elon Musk's SpaceX announced on Tuesday plans to construct a $100 billion facility in Louisiana to launch its next-generation Starship megarockets. The new spaceport will be situated in Vermilion Parish, approximately 115 miles west of New Orleans, and construction is expected to commence next year. With the aim of enabling a multiplanetary future, SpaceX intends to create over 3,000 jobs and support thousands of Starship flights per year, with the first launches anticipated by 2029.

The multi-tower facility will encompass all necessary infrastructure, including launch pads, to accommodate the Starship rockets, which are still under development. Starship is designed for missions to the moon and Mars. SpaceX is committed to preserving the coastline and protecting local wildlife, with the average worker salary projected to be 192% higher than the current regional mean wage.

The Louisiana Economic Development agency expressed enthusiasm about the potential economic impact, while SpaceX also acknowledged facing opposition from environmental groups concerned about the facility's location near protected areas. The U.S. Geological Survey estimated in 2017 that Louisiana experiences more coastal wetland loss than any other state in the contiguous U.S.