Musk's rocket firm SpaceX to build $100bn launch facility
It will be the firm's biggest site yet and aims to send rockets to space in 2029.
SpaceX, the rocket company founded by billionaire Elon Musk, has announced plans to construct its largest launch facility in Louisiana, United States. The $100 billion project, named Starbase Louisiana, is set to commence construction next year. Covering 125,000 acres (50,585 hectares), this expansive site will serve as a hub for supporting thousands of Starship flights annually to destinations such as Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars. SpaceX revealed the announcement on Tuesday.
In June, SpaceX made its debut on the New York stock exchange, Nasdaq, marking the largest ever stock market debut. The company intends to launch its inaugural Starship flight from the new Louisiana base by 2029. The facility is expected to create over 3,000 jobs within the region, while an estimated 8,100 additional jobs will be generated indirectly. The Louisiana Economic Development agency highlighted that the average wage for workers at this historic project would be 192% higher than the current regional average.
This ambitious endeavor aims to position Louisiana as a global hub for next-generation aerospace, offering enhanced launch frequency and expanded access to space. The Starbase Louisiana facility shares its name with another SpaceX site on the southern tip of Texas. In 2025, local residents in Cameron County, where SpaceX has testing and development operations, approved incorporating the land as a city called Starbase.
Musk has set ambitious goals for SpaceX, including plans to reach Mars, develop AI models, and launch data centers into space. In August, SpaceX and Tesla - Musk's electric vehicle and robotics company - announced plans to build a $16.8 billion artificial intelligence chip-making complex in Texas, known as the Terafab. The facility aims to cater to the growing demand for computing power to support SpaceX's projects, including AI and robotics technology.
Despite a 30% decline in SpaceX's shares shortly after its IPO, they remain higher than the original $135 offer price.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
