SpaceX Proposes Turning Starbase Into an Official Texas City

SpaceX is petitioning to turn its Starbase facility in South Texas into an officially incorporated city. Located near Boca Chica Beach on the southern tip of Texas near the US/Mexico border, the Starbase site has already hosts the production and testing of SpaceX’s massive Starship rockets.

Now, CEO Elon Musk wants to transform the area into a community that supports their mission to make humanity a multiplanetary species.

On December 12, SpaceX submitted a formal request to Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr., asking for a local election to decide whether the site should be incorporated. Kathryn Lueders, the general manager of Starbase, detailed the rationale in the letter, emphasizing the need for infrastructure and amenities to attract and retain top talent.

“To continue growing the workforce necessary to rapidly develop and manufacture Starship, we need the ability to grow Starbase as a community,” the letter stated.

The proposed incorporation would streamline the development of housing, schools, medical facilities, and other essential services for the 3,400 full-time employees and contractors currently working at Starbase. Lueders also noted that SpaceX already manages several public functions in the area, such as utilities, roads, and even education.

By establishing Starbase as an official city, these responsibilities could transition to public governance.

Musk has been vocal about his vision for Starbase for years, first hinting at the idea in a 2021 social media post. While discussions about incorporation have been ongoing, this marks the first time SpaceX has officially filed a petition.

Musk commented on the petition on X, saying, “SpaceX HQ will now officially be in the city of Starbase, Texas!” However, Musk was getting a little ahead of himself, as the county’s legal and election teams will review the request to ensure compliance with statutory requirements before proceeding and approving the petition.

The move to turn Starbase into its own city comes amid Musk’s broader shift of operations to Texas, a state he has praised for its business-friendly environment. Earlier this year, SpaceX headquarters moved from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, and Musk announced plans to relocate the headquarters of his social media platform X to Austin. These decisions followed Musk’s dissatisfaction with California’s regulatory landscape, which he criticized as stifling innovation.