SpaceX commits $100B to a second Starbase spaceport in Louisiana
SpaceX is putting $100 billion into a second Starbase on 125,000 acres in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, with construction starting in 2027 and a first Starship launch targeted for 2029. Gwynne Shotwell describes a self-sustaining site with its own methane production, power generation, and deep-water shipping — infrastructure sized for a launch cadence Starship has not demonstrated across 13 test flights. The buildout is the physical bet behind a planned satellite network for AI processing, and behind Musk's plan to retire the Falcon rockets once Starship flies weekly.
Source: techcrunch.com ↗
SpaceX must show that it can bring the vehicle back and refurbish it quickly enough to reach its own aggressive goal of sending up multiple Starships per week.
Why this matters
- → SpaceX bets $100B on unproven weekly launch cadence before Starship reaches orbit
- → Second spaceport enables satellite megaconstellations for AI and Starlink expansion
- → Gulf Coast site risks repeat of Texas safety and environmental controversies