It’s official: SpaceX has filed a petition with local officials in Cameron County to hold an election that could turn its launch site, Starbase, into a city. Located near Boca Chica, on the Mexican border, this site has been the heart of SpaceX’s operations since 2014 to develop and test its rockets.
Musktown
Starbase is best known for its testing of the Starship, the rocket expected to one day take humans to Mars. During a recent test, the company tested the capabilities of the device nicknamed “Mechazilla”, giant robotic arms, by recovering the rocket’s booster.
Kathryn Lueders, CEO of Starbase, explained in a letter to authorities that the goal is to “ transforming South Texas into a gateway to Mars “. Creating a city would allow SpaceX to expand its local community and meet the growing needs of its staff. Today, more than 3,400 employees and subcontractors work on the site, and several hundred already live there.
Elon Musk, who officially moved the headquarters of SpaceX and its social network X (formerly Twitter) from California to Texas this year, does not hide his ambitions. The billionaire Donald Trump backer has confirmed that Starbase will also host SpaceX’s new headquarters. This move was justified by Musk as a response to disagreements with Californian regulators, but it is also part of a logic of refocusing SpaceX’s activities in a state where regulations are more flexible.
This is not the first time that the idea of a “Starbase city” has been mentioned. In 2021, Elon Musk had already tweeted on this subject. But this time, SpaceX is taking action. Local authorities must still review the petition to see if it meets legal requirements before launching a possible election.
The plan to turn Starbase into a city is met with mixed reactions. While some welcome Musk’s futuristic vision, others are concerned about the environmental consequences. A local association, Save RGV, filed a lawsuit against SpaceX this year, accusing it of environmental violations and pollution of the nearby bay. The company denied the accusations, saying a state review found no risks.
Cameron County seems cautious. Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. confirmed that this was the first time a formal petition had been filed, despite ongoing discussions since 2021. ” We will review the application and check whether it meets all requirements before making a decision “, he said.
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