Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, is taking a significant step toward officially transforming Starbase, SpaceX’s rocket launch facility in South Texas, into a city.
In a social media post on X, Musk announced Thursday that the industrial site will now officially be the city of Starbase in Texas. This declaration follows SpaceX submitting a letter to local officials, requesting an election to incorporate the area near Boca Chica Beach, close to the Mexican border.
The letter, signed by Starbase General Manager Kathryn Lueders, highlighted the need to build a community to support SpaceX’s ambitious growth. “To continue growing the workforce necessary to rapidly develop and manufacture Starship, we need the ability to grow Starbase as a community,” Lueders wrote, urging Cameron County to approve the election.
If approved, Starbase could become the latest city in the Rio Grande Valley, housing over 3,400 employees and contractors working on SpaceX’s Starship rockets, which are being developed for Moon and Mars missions.
This marks a concrete step in Musk’s long-discussed vision for Starbase. Back in 2021, he tweeted about “creating the city of Starbase,” but this is the first time SpaceX has officially petitioned for it. Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. confirmed the receipt of the petition and said it will be reviewed for legal compliance.
The move is part of Musk’s broader shift to Texas. Earlier this year, he relocated the headquarters of SpaceX and X from California to Texas, citing California’s new gender identity law as a tipping point. Musk had also moved Tesla’s headquarters to Texas in 2021, while keeping California as its engineering hub. Musk himself moved to Texas in 2021, partly influenced by the state’s lack of income tax.
Despite Starbase’s rapid expansion, SpaceX has faced criticism from local groups. Earlier this year, the environmental organisation Save RGV sued SpaceX, alleging water pollution in nearby areas. SpaceX dismissed the lawsuit as “frivolous,” pointing to a state review that found no significant environmental risks.
If Starbase achieves city status, it could pave the way for an ambitious chapter in Musk’s journey to revolutionise space exploration while reshaping Texas’s industrial landscape.