SpaceX, the space exploration technology company, announced on Tuesday, August 25th, that they will be building a second “Starbase” space launch site in Louisiana.
The company stated that they will invest $10 billion in constructing a “self-sustaining space launch facility” equipped with facilities for propulsion production, power generation, deep-water navigation, spacecraft handling facilities, and an airport.
The new space launch base covers an area of approximately 125,000 acres and was previously Exxon assets located in Vermilion Parish, west of New Orleans along the Gulf Coast, about a 10-hour drive from the company’s existing “Starbase” complex in southern Texas.
According to SpaceX’s plans, the construction of the new base is set to begin in 2027, with the first “Starship” launch mission scheduled for 2029.
However, the Louisiana Economic Development (LED), the state agency responsible for overseeing commercial development affairs, provided a slightly more conservative timetable. They stated that construction will commence by the end of 2027 and “is expected to begin initial operations by 2030.”
SpaceX’s President, Gwynne Shotwell, revealed that the company plans to hire around 3,000 people, although based on the experience at the existing “Starbase” in Texas, the final number of employees could reach close to 10,000.
According to Louisiana officials, the new project is expected to create approximately 3,000 direct jobs within 10 years with an average annual salary of about $92,600. The construction peak period could bring in over 30,000 construction industry positions.
New Orleans has a strong foundation in the aerospace industry, with the NASA Michoud facility located there.
Michael Hecht, President of GNO Inc., stated that SpaceX’s investment could further enhance the region’s aerospace industry’s influence.
This investment represents an important step for SpaceX to further push the “Starship” project, with the new base potentially becoming a crucial facility in expanding its global launch capabilities.
Since 2023, “Starship” has undergone 13 test flights but has yet to successfully recover both the booster and upper stage in the same mission, a key requirement for achieving the ability to reuse “Starship” rapidly.
SpaceX still needs to demonstrate its ability to recover rockets and refurbish them quickly enough to achieve the company’s grand goal of launching multiple rapidly reusable “Starships” several times a week.
“Starship” will not only handle SpaceX’s future large space missions but also impact the company’s “Starlink” satellite internet business. The company also plans to use “Starship” to deploy a satellite network specialized for artificial intelligence computing.
At the same time, the new project of building the second “Starbase” has also attracted attention from environmental groups.
The Louisiana Wildlife Federation, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Pontchartrain Conservancy have submitted a joint letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding environmental review concerns.
In response, SpaceX has been in contact with local wildlife, fisheries, and coastal conservation agencies to address any potential environmental and legal controversies that may arise.