SpaceX to build $100 billion Starship rocket complex in Louisiana

SpaceX has announced ambitious plans to build a massive $100 billion Starship rocket launch complex in Louisiana, a move set to transform the region's coastal wetlands into a pivotal hub for the company's satellite launch ambitions. The expansive 125,000-acre site, named Starbase, will serve as an alternative to SpaceX's current launch operations in South Texas and Florida, with the potential to launch thousands of Starship flights annually, according to SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell.

Construction is slated to commence next year, with the first Starship launch anticipated in 2029, as announced during a press event near the proposed site in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana.

Shotwell outlined a comprehensive self-sustaining spaceport, which would encompass propellant production, power generation, deep-water shipping facilities, vehicle processing areas, and possibly an airport. The project, which covers an area larger than Manhattan, aims to leverage the marshland's vast resources to support SpaceX's ambitious goals.

The company's expansion into Louisiana follows significant investments in the southern United States, including the establishment of AI data centers and Starlink facilities in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Texas, as well as plans to build a chip plant in central Texas. Governor Jeff Landry hailed the initiative as an "inflection point" for Louisiana, emphasizing the project's potential to create jobs, boost regional momentum, and safeguard the local coast.

Despite these promises, the development has faced criticism from local residents concerned about environmental impacts and land use issues near existing SpaceX sites.