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SpaceX announced Tuesday it plans to build its largest rocket launch site in southern Louisiana, investing $100 billion in a complex that could ultimately support thousands of Starship flights each year.
The 125,000-acre site on Pecan Island in Vermilion Parish, called Starbase Louisiana, would become SpaceX’s fourth U.S. launch location and its second Starbase campus, Reuters reported.
Construction is slated to begin in 2027, with the first Starship launch planned for 2029, according to SpaceX.
SpaceX expects the project to create more than 3,000 jobs. In a video, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said the company could eventually bring “probably 10,000 really exciting jobs” to Louisiana.
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“A day for the history books! With [SpaceX’s] $100 billion investment in Louisiana, we are proving that Louisiana is open – open to new jobs, honest wages, and to those who dare to build something that lasts,” Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry wrote on X.
The complex would include launch pads and vehicle processing facilities, as well as systems to produce methane fuel and generate power. The tech company is also considering an airport and deep-water shipping capabilities to transport Starships from Texas, Reuters reported.
The project moved forward after Louisiana settled a lawsuit against ExxonMobil over allegations the oil company’s drilling and canal work contributed to wetland loss. The settlement cleared the way for SpaceX to develop the 18-mile coastal property, according to Reuters.
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Pecan Island is also a protected habitat for dozens of migratory bird species. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said the company would help fund environmental protection efforts.
“In working with the state, we’re planning thousands of acres of marsh creation using beneficial-use placement of dredged material and offshore sediment sources,” the SpaceX website says.
Musk views Starship as key to expanding the company’s Starlink network. The rocket is also central to NASA’s Artemis mission to return astronauts to the moon, Reuters reported.
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SpaceX currently launches Starship from Texas and is building two additional Starship launch pads in Florida. The company also operates Falcon 9 launch sites in Florida and California.
FOX Business reached out to SpaceX for additional details.
Reuters contributed to this report.
