SpaceX to build $100 billion Starship rocket complex in Louisiana
The company's second Starbase campus will eventually launch thousands of Starship flights a year, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said, reiterating its goals for an ambitious cadence contingent on solving steep engineering challenges and regulatory hurdles.
SpaceX announced plans on Tuesday to construct an ambitious $100 billion rocket launch complex in southern Louisiana, known as Starbase Louisiana. The sprawling 125,000-acre site on Pecan Island, named after the local pecan tree, will serve as a base for SpaceX's Starship and AI satellite launch initiatives. This expansion follows the company's existing operations in South Texas and Florida, with the new campus set to host thousands of Starship launches annually.
SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell outlined the ambitious timeline, aiming for the first Starship launch in 2029. The self-sustaining spaceport will feature its own methane production, power generation, deep-water shipping capabilities, vehicle processing facilities, and potentially an airport. Remarkably, more than eight times the size of Manhattan, the marshland site will retain vast areas of natural wetlands, with only the launch pads and infrastructure dotting the landscape.
The controversial location had been entangled in a decade-long lawsuit against ExxonMobil from local parishes, alleging contributions to wetland loss due to coastal drilling and canal dredging. The lawsuit was dismissed in June following a settlement agreement, paving the way for SpaceX's plans. SpaceX had been in discussions with the state since February, and the project is expected to create over 3,000 jobs, each paying an average salary of $92,600, or 192% higher than the local average wage.
Though the Louisiana site will not include rocket production facilities, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk sees Starship as crucial for expanding its Starlink constellation and deploying up to 1 million AI data-processing satellites. The rocket also plays a vital role in NASA's Artemis moon program. Pecan Island, strategically situated in the Gulf waters, allows launches to reach a sun-synchronous orbit with ample sunlight for solar-powered satellites.
Noteworthy for its environmental considerations, Shotwell emphasized plans for marshland restoration and coastline protection, vital to preserving the area's natural buffer against flooding. Moreover, SpaceX aims to support environmental stewardship throughout the construction process.
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- Spacex to Build $100 Billion Starship Rocket Complex in Louisiana japannews.yomiuri.co.jp
