SpaceX will begin construction next year on a launch facility that will dwarf its existing infrastructure. On Tuesday, the company announced plans for a massive $100+ billion spaceport in Louisiana designed to eventually support thousands of Starship launches every year.
Dubbed Starbase, Louisiana, the facility will be built along the Gulf Coast, about 50 miles south of Lafayette. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the first Starship launch targeted for 2029.
Introducing Starbase, Louisiana – a high-cadence launch site that will enable Starship to open a pathway to the stars for humanity.
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 25, 2026
Thank you to @LAGovJeffLandry and the great people of Louisiana for all of their support as we work together on this audacious project →… pic.twitter.com/hq308hvg2g
SpaceX plans more than 30 Starship launches per day
The scale of the project is unlike anything SpaceX, or anyone else, has built before. The company says the self-sustaining spaceport will include launch pads, vehicle processing facilities, propellant production, power generation, deep-water shipping infrastructure and even its own airport.
Elon Musk says the completed facility will eventually feature more than a dozen launch towers capable of supporting over 30 Starship flights per day.
“Starbase Louisiana will ultimately have over a dozen launch towers, enabling more than 30 Starship flights per day and making it the biggest launch site on Earth!” Musk said on X.
Thousands of new jobs
SpaceX has committed to investing at least $100 billion in the site, creating more than 3,000 permanent jobs in the process. In a video highlighting the new facility, Musk suggested the workforce could eventually grow much larger, bringing “probably 10,000 really exciting jobs” to the state.
The company purchased the site from Louisiana for $100 million after the 125,000-acre property was donated to the state by ExxonMobil.
The coastal location provides several advantages, including access to the Gulf of Mexico and Intracoastal Waterway for transporting Starship hardware, nearby natural gas supplies for propellant production, and a south-facing launch corridor suitable for polar missions.
SpaceX is also promising extensive coastal restoration work around the site, including shoreline protection and rebuilding thousands of acres of marshland.
Always get the latest - make Drive Tesla your preferred source on Google
Are you buying a Tesla? If you enjoy our content and we helped in your decision, use our referral link to get three months of Full Self-Driving (FSD).Drive Tesla uses affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
