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SpaceX plans $100 billion Louisiana spaceport
The proposed Starbase Louisiana would expand SpaceX’s Starship launch capacity from the Gulf Coast.
What happened
SpaceX and Louisiana officials announced plans for Starbase Louisiana, a Starship launch complex on Pecan Island in Vermilion Parish. The company aims to begin construction in 2027 and launch in 2029. It describes the project as a way to expand launches and support satellite networks, including AI data processing.
Numbers
- $100 billionPlanned investment in the spaceport
- 125,000 acresSize of proposed coastal site
- 3,000 jobsNew regional jobs SpaceX projects
- 2027–2029Target construction and first launch — Company timeline
Questions
- Where is the proposed site?
- It is on Pecan Island in Vermilion Parish, on coastal land formerly owned by Exxon, west of New Orleans.
- Why does SpaceX want another site?
- The company wants to extend Starship operations beyond South Texas and planned Florida facilities, supporting launches for its satellite and AI ambitions.
- What would the complex contain?
- Plans include methane production, power generation, deep-water shipping, vehicle processing and possibly an airport, intended to make the spaceport self-sustaining.
- What is notable about the location?
- The site contains wetlands that support migratory birds and help limit inland flooding, so construction would affect an environmentally sensitive coast.
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The catch
Final permits and a binding construction schedule are not detailed in the coverage.