Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
PECAN ISLAND, La. — SpaceX announced plans Tuesday to invest $100 billion in a massive new spaceport in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, establishing what the company and state officials say will become SpaceX’s largest launch facility and eventually support thousands of launches annually.
The development, named Starbase Louisiana, will occupy about 125,000 acres on Pecan Island and significantly expand SpaceX’s Starship operations beyond its existing South Texas and Florida facilities.
Louisiana Economic Development said SpaceX expects to create 3,000 direct jobs during the next 10 years with an average annual salary of $92,600. The state estimates another 8,100 indirect jobs could result, bringing the potential employment impact to more than 11,100 jobs in the Acadiana region.
“This announcement pushes our state beyond $250 billion in new investment and puts us at the center of the next great frontier,” Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said.
At full development, the Louisiana site is expected to have five launch complexes, each with two launch pads, along with propellant farms. Plans also call for propellant production, power generation, spacecraft processing facilities and housing for employees and their families.
Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with the first Starship launch targeted for as early as 2029.
SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said the goal is to develop a facility that can help make space travel substantially more frequent.
“SpaceX was founded to bring about a future where humans are out exploring amongst the stars,” Musk said, adding that achieving that vision depends on making trips to space more routine.
The project represents another major expansion for SpaceX, which has developed and tested Starship at Starbase in South Texas. The fully reusable Starship system is being developed for missions ranging from deploying satellites in Earth orbit to future lunar and Mars missions.
The Louisiana project also carries a substantial local financial commitment. Under a Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreement, SpaceX will make a $20 million upfront payment and pay at least $25 million annually to local taxing entities for 25 years, with payments increasing under an agreed escalator.
State incentives are tied to investment and job-creation commitments. SpaceX must also make a $25 million charitable contribution to the Community Foundation of Acadiana.
The project will require federal, state and local regulatory approvals. SpaceX has begun working with Louisiana wildlife, fisheries and coastal agencies as officials evaluate potential effects on wetlands, habitats and other natural resources.
Reuters reported that some residents near SpaceX facilities have raised concerns about environmental impacts and pressure on surrounding land. Louisiana officials said environmental and coastal reviews will remain part of the permitting process.
For Louisiana, the project would establish a major new aerospace presence along a coast historically associated with oil, gas, and other heavy industries.
Visit the link:
https://content.spacex.com/cms-assets/assets/Starship_Starbase_LA_F1.mp4
More information on the future site can be found on the SpaceX website here.
