SpaceX to build US$100bil Starship rocket complex in Louisiana
The 50,585-hectare Pecan Island site expands SpaceX's Starship launch operations beyond South Texas and planned facilities in Florida as the rocket remains in late-stage development.
SpaceX has announced plans to construct a US$100 billion Starship rocket launch complex in southern Louisiana, expanding its operations beyond Texas and Florida. The 50,585-hectare site on Pecan Island, named Starbase Louisiana, aims to launch thousands of Starship flights annually by 2029. The self-sustaining spaceport will include methane production for propellant, power generation, deep-water shipping, vehicle processing, and potentially an airport.
The marshland site will preserve natural wetlands while featuring numerous launch pads surrounded by greenery. The project, which began after resolving a decade-long lawsuit against ExxonMobil, is expected to create over 3,000 jobs in the region, with an average salary of US$92,600. SpaceX sees Starship as crucial for expanding its Starlink constellation and AI satellite deployment in orbit, as well as supporting NASA's Artemis moon program.
The coastal strip on Pecan Island was previously the subject of legal disputes, but an agreement with ExxonMobil cleared the way for SpaceX's plans. The site's geographically strategic location enables launches towards sun-synchronous orbits, ideal for solar-powered AI satellites. SpaceX has previously built facilities in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Texas, but this marks its fourth US launch site, replicating the scale of its Texas operation at a larger scale.
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