Despite the expansion of the technology conglomerate's portfolio with projects in the field of artificial intelligence, the space company SpaceX is consolidating its leading position in the aerospace sector. To meet the growing needs for intensive launches of the Starship super-heavy rocket system, the company officially announced the construction of a new logistics and launch center in the state of Louisiana.
The project, whose value is estimated at $100 billion, will spread over a large coastal area of 506 square kilometers (about 125,000 acres). The new site will complement existing operations centers in South Texas and Cape Canaveral, Florida, becoming the third main base for regular flights of the reusable rocket. During the official presentation, the company's president Gwynn Shotwell described the ambitious facility as science fiction made real.
The futuristic spaceport, called Starbase Louisiana, will include five independent launch complexes with a total of ten launch pads, its own installations for fuel extraction from local natural gas, energy facilities, airport infrastructure and a port terminal. A separate residential area is planned for the construction of employees and their families. Construction activities are expected to start next year, and initial commissioning is planned for 2029. The opening of the new base will provide between 3,000 and 10,000 new jobs in the region.
The grandiose capacity of the facility is calculated to support a frequency of several launches per day. The mega-constellation will serve the launch of a new generation of Starlink communications satellites, as well as orbital data centers equipped with specialized hardware for artificial intelligence. In parallel with industrial construction, the company is committed to actively participating in the restoration of the local coastal ecosystem and wetlands, with management expressing confidence that the operation of the complex will not threaten migratory bird populations.