SpaceX announced on Tuesday (25) an investment of US$ 100 billion, equivalent to approximately R$ 514 billion, designated for the construction of a new rocket manufacturing and launch facility located in Louisiana, United States. This new complex has been named Starbase Louisiana and will primarily focus on activities related to the Starship rocket.
The announcement was made by SpaceX in collaboration with the Governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry. The infrastructure will be built in Vermilion Parish, in the coastal area of the Gulf of Mexico, and aims to become the company's largest space operations center.
The plan includes the installation of ten launch pads and a structure designed to support thousands of Starship launches annually. The construction phase is scheduled to begin in 2027, with the expectation that the first launch from this new complex will occur in 2029.
According to SpaceX itself, this new base will play a crucial role in expanding the company's operations with Starship, which includes sending large volumes of satellites into space.
Although the scope of the project is vast, full operation will require several years. SpaceX plans to use this location to significantly increase the frequency of flights for the rocket, which was developed to transport heavy cargo into space and execute missions destined for Earth orbit, the Moon, and eventually Mars.
Starbase Louisiana will not just be a launch site; the intention is to establish a large operational center capable of centralizing all necessary phases to sustain a high cadence of missions. SpaceX views this facility as a vital element for the future of Starship, especially as it takes on a larger share of tasks currently performed by other company vehicles.
Furthermore, the planned scale for Louisiana will allow SpaceX to increase its launch capacity without relying solely on the existing Starbase in Texas. The undertaking should position Vermilion Parish as an important hub of the American space industry and will represent one of the largest private investments ever announced for the State of Louisiana.