SpaceX Plans Starbase Louisiana Launch Complex

SpaceX is planning Starbase Louisiana, a 125,000-acre launch complex in Vermilion Parish, with a $100 billion investment to support thousands of Starship flights. The project envisions five complexes with multiple launch towers, on-site propellant production, power generation, deep-water shipping, a vehicle processing backbone, an airport, and housing, with construction anticipated to begin in 2027 and a first launch as early as 2029. The plan is expected to create 3,000 to 10,000 jobs, largely filled by Louisiana workers, and officials say it will drive economic growth and position Louisiana as a major aerospace hub. SpaceX emphasizes a broad expansion from launch pads to comprehensive infrastructure and long-range ambitions, including lunar and Martian missions and possibly orbital data center capabilities. Environmental groups warn about impacts on coastal wetlands and wildlife, while SpaceX pledges coastal restoration and habitat protections. The project would complement SpaceX's existing sites in Texas, Florida, and California and align with broader Starship deployment plans.