SpaceX has unveiled plans for a new Gulf Coast facility that the company describes as "the largest private spaceport in the world," marking a significant expansion of its Starship program infrastructure.
What Happened
The proposed site, located at Pecan Island in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, would span 125,000 acres—approximately 35,000 acres smaller than the combined footprint of Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center. SpaceX plans to build 10 Starship launch pads alongside a massive production facility, with construction scheduled to begin in 2027 and a first launch targeted for 2029. The company intends to invest $100 billion covering both facility development and coastal restoration work. Initial efforts will focus on gaining access to the area, restoring wetlands, and reinforcing the coastline against erosion. Pecan Island is described as a small unincorporated community of around 300 people with strong industrial precedent linked to offshore oil and gas operations since the 1950s. SpaceX has released provisional renders showing multiple double-pad configurations replicating designs from Starbase, Texas, an approach the company says would allow replication of proven construction methods.
Why It Matters
The Louisiana facility addresses a key constraint in Starship's operational architecture: the vehicle requires on-orbit refueling for missions beyond initial parking orbit. SpaceX holds NASA's Human Landing System contract for Artemis, with estimates ranging from 10 to 20 refueling flights needed per lunar landing mission. The company has stated it aims to fly Starship at least 30 times per day by 2030, and having 15 total pads across sites would make such operations more practical than relying on five pads alone. The project is expected to create over 3,000 jobs, with many positions filled by local residents following the approach used in Texas. Governor Jeff Landry highlighted Louisiana's deep history in the energy sector during the announcement, framing the spaceport as a natural extension of existing industrial expertise.
The Bottom Line
Starbase, Louisiana represents SpaceX's most ambitious infrastructure project to date, positioning the company for high-cadence Starship operations including Starlink deployments and NASA Artemis missions. However, construction has not begun and the 2029 launch target remains subject to regulatory approvals and permitting.