SpaceX has revealed plans to build a $100 billion launch facility in Louisiana, marking the company’s fourth US launch site in the United States. Construction is expected to begin by the end of next year near the southern coast of Vermilion Parish in Louisiana. The first Starship rocket launch from this location is targeted for 2029.
This new facility will be called Starbase, Louisiana, following the naming convention of SpaceX’s current site, according to CNN. The Texas location is currently where Starship undergoes testing and development, with 13 test flights already completed. Once fully operational, the Louisiana site will host launches of the Starship rocket after it proves capable of safely delivering cargo to orbit.
SpaceX intends to land and recover every part of its Starship rockets, including the upper stage. This approach will allow for rapid reuse of the rockets, reducing the cost per launch. The Louisiana site will feature towers designed to capture returning rockets and spacecraft as they return from space.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced the project on X. The company has been working closely with Louisiana officials to finalize the spaceport plans. Louisiana Governor Eddie R. Landry said that industries have historically extracted wealth from the state without leaving lasting prosperity.
He added that Louisiana has often been left with scars while others profited. Much about the project remains uncertain, as Starship is not yet operational. The next major test flight is expected in September, which could send Starship into orbit.
Further testing will be necessary to determine how to land and reuse the upper stage of the rocket. The Louisiana project is expected to go through regulatory reviews including environmental assessments. Reviews for SpaceX’s Texas facilities took nearly a decade to complete.
Environmental groups in Texas are challenging the company over impacts from rocket testing. SpaceX has promised to fund environmental protection and restoration efforts as construction progresses, according to a report from cio.economictimes.indiatimes.com. Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX’s chief operating officer, spoke at an event to announce the project in Vermilion Parish on August 25, 2026, Yahoo News reported.
The company will pay local authorities $25 million annually and a one-time payment of $20 million. SpaceX also committed to restoring coastal and wildlife habitats in the Acadiana region. Shotwell said these restoration efforts would begin immediately but did not provide further details.
Governor Landry said that while birds may temporarily leave during a launch, they will return afterward. Local environmental activist Libby Smith Nehrbass criticized the secrecy around the negotiations and questioned how much rights were being taken away from residents. She held a sign that read ‘Paradise Lost’ during the announcement event in Abbeville.
Another local resident, Carrie Simon, said that a lot of businesses aren’t flourishing or aren’t where they need to be while SpaceX has become a global leader in aerospace technology. She highlighted how SpaceX evolved from a startup to the most advanced aerospace company in the world. SpaceX has begun phasing out its Falcon 9 rockets in favor of Starship for most missions once it becomes operational.
Earlier that same day, SpaceX’s vice president of launch Kiko Dontchev said the last Falcon 9 rocket to carry Starlink satellites from Florida would be launched that morning. Starlink missions out of Florida will fly on Starship. A West Coast team will continue launching Starlink from Vandenberg.
SpaceX also plans to keep operating Starship out of Texas and may begin flights from Florida as soon as this year. However, the Louisiana site will become the largest base for Starship operations.
IMAGE: Elon Musk and SN9. Photo: Steve Jurvetson / Wikimedia, taken 2020-12-10, CC BY 2.0