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SpaceX Is Building A $100 Billion 'Starbase' Launch Site In Louisiana
Engadget • • general
Key Points:
- SpaceX plans to build a $100 billion "Starbase" launch site on 125,000 acres of Louisiana's southern coast at Pecan Island, marking its third potential location for launching the Starship rocket.
- The facility will feature five launch complexes with two pads each, along with propellant production, power generation, vehicle processing, and residential housing for employees.
- The location offers strategic advantages for launching Starship southward toward polar orbits to deploy data center satellites, while also providing access to natural gas for methane-based rocket fuel.
- SpaceX committed to environmental restoration efforts in partnership with Louisiana, including marshland and wildlife preservation, following ExxonMobil's return of the land to the state.
- Production at the site is scheduled to begin in 2027, with the first launch planned for 2029, coinciding with SpaceX's broader expansion including a new AI chip foundry in Texas.
