SpaceX will develop a $100 billion Starship spaceport in Louisiana, designated Starbase Louisiana, located on a 125,000-acre coastal site in Vermilion Parish. The facility will serve as SpaceX’s second Starbase campus and fourth U.S. launch site, though it will not include rocket manufacturing. Construction is scheduled to begin next year, with the first Starship launch planned for 2029.
The project is expected to generate more than 3,000 jobs, with an average annual salary of $92,600—192% higher than the current average wage in Vermilion Parish. The spaceport will feature methane production for propellant, power generation, deep-water shipping access, vehicle processing facilities, and an airport. Its southern Louisiana location enables southward launches over the Gulf of Mexico into sun-synchronous orbits, supporting solar-powered AI satellites for Starlink and a projected constellation of up to 1 million data-processing satellites.
The site, a 125,000-acre coastal strip spanning 18 miles, was previously tied up in a decade-long legal dispute involving ExxonMobil over coastal drilling and wetland loss. The state settled with Exxon in June, clearing the path for SpaceX’s plans after initial discussions in February. SpaceX has expanded its southern U.S. footprint with Colossus AI data centers in Tennessee and Mississippi, Starlink facilities in Austin, and a planned chip plant in central Texas.
SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell noted that migratory birds near the marshland site would temporarily relocate during launches but return shortly afterward. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry described the project as transformative for local employment, community momentum, and coastal protection.
