SpaceX has officially announced plans to construct its largest launch and operation facility to date, titled Starbase, Louisiana. Located along the Louisiana Gulf Coast in Vermilion Parish, the $100 billion mega project is designed to support high cadence commercial spaceflight, with facilities built to handle thousands of Starship flights annually.
The self sustaining spaceport will represent a unprecedented expansion of commercial aerospace infrastructure. At full buildout, the campus will feature five launch complexes housing a total of ten launch pads alongside dedicated propellant production plants, power generation infrastructure, vehicle processing facilities, deep water shipping access, an airport, and on site residential housing for personnel and their families.
Construction on the facility is scheduled to begin in 2027, with the company aiming for its first Starship launch from the site by 2029.
Addressing the scale and ambition of the new development, SpaceX Founder and CEO Elon Musk stated:
“We’re preparing to build a spaceport that, until now, has only existed in science fiction. SpaceX was founded to bring about a future where humans are out exploring amongst the stars, which will only be possible when we make going to space as routine as flying on an airplane.
Starbase, Louisiana will unlock that future. Thank you Governor Landry and the people of Louisiana for joining us on this journey, and for their help in the years ahead as we work together to build one of the most inspirational places on the planet.”
Musk also noted in an accompanying announcement video that the project is expected to bring “probably 10,000 really exciting jobs” to the region, complementing SpaceX’s formal commitment of creating over 3,000 direct operational roles while heavily recruiting local talent.
In addition to industrial development, SpaceX committed to working alongside state and federal agencies to restore the eroding shoreline in Vermilion Parish, addressing environmental loss that currently impacts up to 23 feet of coastline per year. Once operational, Starbase, Louisiana will serve as SpaceX’s fourth and primary global launch site, anchoring long term lunar missions, satellite deployments, and deep space travel programs.
