Space Exploration Technologies Corp. plans to construct a $100 billion rocket launch site in Louisiana, marking the company’s fourth U.S. launch facility and its largest single investment to date.
The 50,585-hectare Starbase Louisiana complex on Pecan Island will support Starship rocket operations and artificial-intelligence satellite launches, expanding SpaceX’s existing infrastructure in South Texas and planned sites in Florida. Construction is scheduled to begin next year, with the first Starship launch from the site targeted for 2029, according to SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell.
The fully self-contained facility will include on-site methane production for rocket fuel, power generation and deep-water shipping capacity. SpaceX estimates the project will create more than 3,000 jobs in the region. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry described the initiative as transformative for local employment and coastal protection, emphasizing its broader economic impact beyond infrastructure and technology.
The Louisiana site was previously tied up in a years-long legal dispute with ExxonMobil, which was resolved in July, clearing the path for SpaceX’s plans. Shotwell addressed environmental concerns, pledging to protect and restore wetlands and shoreline habitats. “Birds may fly away during a launch, but I guarantee you they come back,” she said.
Elon Musk has positioned Starship as critical to expanding the Starlink satellite constellation and deploying up to one million AI-driven satellites in orbit. The new launch complex will serve as a key node in that strategy, enabling thousands of Starship flights annually.
