SpaceX is building a $100 billion 'Starbase' launch site in Louisiana

The 195 square mile site will house five launch complexes, each with two launch pads.

SpaceX has announced plans to build a new $100 billion "Starbase" launch site on the southern coast of Louisiana, giving it a third potential location to launch its giant Starship rocket. SpaceX executives and Louisiana governor Jeff Landry revealed that Elon Musk's company will be authorized to build a 125,000 acre (195 square mile) facility on the coast in an area called Pecan Island.

"We're preparing to build a spaceport that, until now, has only existed in science fiction," SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said. "SpaceX was founded to bring about a future where humans are out exploring amongst the stars, which will only be possible when we make going to space as routine as flying on an airplane. Starbase, Louisiana will unlock that future."

As SpaceX detailed in a new video, the Louisiana facility will be massive with five launch complexes, each with two launch pads. "The development will also include a propellant production facility, power generation, vehicle processing and residential housing for employees and their families," according to a press release from Louisiana State.

Starbase, Louisiana will be built to support thousands of Starship flights a year with missions launching to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond pic.twitter.com/SE6gyNZWBK

SpaceX plans to blanket the skies with data center satellites and Starbase, Louisiana will be a key part of that. The location will allow SpaceX to launch Starship rocket southward toward the polar regions, where it can place its "Starmind" data center satellites into ideal orbit positions. It will also give SpaceX close proximity to natural gas in the region needed to create Starship's methane-based rocket fuel.

The announcement comes on the heels of SpaceX's massive public offering . The company also recently announced plans to build a " Terafab " chip foundry in Texas that will supply AI processors to its SpaceXAI division. Those chips are another key component in Musk's vision for orbiting AI data centers.

Exxon Mobile, the previous owner of the Pecan site, returned it to the state as part of a settlement over lawsuits accusing the company of coastal land loss. As part of its deal with Louisiana, SpaceX pledged to work with the state to extensively restore the the area with marshland preservation, wildlife preservation and storm protection. Things will move along pretty quickly for a project of that scale, though. Production on the site will begin in 2027, with the first launch stated for 2029.