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

SpaceX announced plans to construct its largest rocket launch facility on a 125,000-acre parcel on Pecan Island in southern Louisiana. The $100 billion project, dubbed Starbase Louisiana, would become the company’s fourth U.S. launch location and its second dedicated Starship campus. Construction is slated to begin in 2027, with the first Starship launch expected in 2029.

The development is projected to generate more than 3,000 permanent jobs, and company officials have suggested the total could eventually reach around 10,000. The site will feature launch pads, vehicle processing buildings, on-site methane fuel production, power generation, and may include an airport and deep-water shipping facilities to move rockets from Texas.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry praised the investment, writing on social media, "With $100 billion investment in Louisiana, we are proving that Louisiana is open – open to new jobs, honest wages, and to those who dare to build something that lasts."

SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said the company will contribute to environmental mitigation, including marsh creation using dredged material and offshore sediment sources, to offset impacts on the protected habitat for migratory birds.

The project proceeds after the state settled a lawsuit with ExxonMobil over alleged wetland damage, clearing the way for development of the 18-mile coastal property. Starship is intended to support SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network and NASA’s Artemis lunar-return program. The company currently launches Starship from Texas and is adding two more pads in Florida, while also operating Falcon 9 sites in Florida and California.