SpaceX to invest $100 billion in new Starbase Louisiana launch complex

SpaceX and Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry disclosed a $100 billion investment to construct a new launch and manufacturing facility, dubbed Starbase Louisiana, in Vermilion Parish on the Gulf Coast. The complex will include five separate areas, each with two launch towers, for a total of ten pads and dedicated on-site propellant production.

"We're planning to build a self-sustaining spaceport with its own propellant production, power generation, deep water shipping capabilities, vehicle processing facilities, and probably an airport," SpaceX President Gwynn Shotwell said at the announcement.

The company expects the site to eventually handle thousands of Starship launches per year, aligning with Elon Musk’s target of more than 30 flights daily by 2030. The facility is also intended to support NASA’s Artemis lunar-landing program, which requires multiple Starship tanker flights for refueling, as well as future Starlink satellite deployments and AI-related payloads.

"Put all of this together, and these tasks will require thousands of launches," Shotwell added.

Construction is slated to begin in 2027, with the first launch planned for 2029. Louisiana Economic Development projects the project will create about 3,000 direct jobs over the next decade and additional indirect employment. SpaceX said it is working with state and federal agencies on coastal resilience, shoreline protection, marsh restoration, and wildlife conservation measures.

The announcement positions Starbase Louisiana as the company’s largest operational hub, intended to replace existing launch infrastructure as Starship moves toward full operational status.