SpaceX to Build $100 Billion Starbase Louisiana Spaceport

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. announced plans on August 25, 2026, to construct a $100 billion spacecraft launch facility named Starbase Louisiana in Vermilion Parish. The project, the largest capital investment in Louisiana history, will occupy approximately 125,000 acres of coastal marshland on Pecan Island previously owned by ExxonMobil. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with the first Starship launch targeted for 2029.

The self-sustaining spaceport will feature five launch complexes with ten pads and over a dozen launch towers, enabling more than 30 flights per day. The site will include its own propellant production, power generation, deep-water shipping, and an airport to support thousands of annual missions to Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars. SpaceX expects the project to create 3,000 direct jobs with average salaries of $92,600, while state officials estimate total direct and indirect employment could reach over 11,100.

To facilitate the project, Governor Jeff Landry signed six bills providing tax rebates, extended exemptions, and legal protections against noise and smoke lawsuits. SpaceX agreed to a $20 million upfront payment and $25 million annual payments for 25 years to local taxing entities, alongside a $25 million donation to the Community Foundation of Acadiana.

Environmental advocates and local residents have expressed concerns over the project's secrecy and its impact on fragile wetlands. While SpaceX pledged to restore coastal marshlands, groups like the Louisiana Bucket Brigade and the Louisiana Wildlife Federation have opposed regulatory changes that could bypass environmental reviews. Meanwhile, the project aligns with a federal memorandum from President Donald Trump calling for increased U.S. launch capacity by 2030.